No More Nightmares (OriginalArchived)
by Jewelsio
Summary: All is peaceful in Dreamland. Well, that is before Kirby starts to have nightmares: something that he's never had until now. With Meta Knight by his side, the two must figure out what's causing the dreams, and how to stop them from occurring. Little do they know, they're in for more than they could both imagine.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everybody, I'm back! If you don't know or forgot or something, my name is Jules, and this is my second story! I promised you all that I'd be back very soon, and I think I sustained my promise, no?**

 **If you're here because you were a fan of "The Babysitter", that's amazing, and I welcome you back and thank you for your continuing support!**

 **If you're new to my writing, I welcome you with open arms, and I hope you enjoy this story! If you seem to enjoy my writing here, I say you should go check out my other story, "The Babysitter"! It's a very lighthearted story that's meant to be an easy read and goodness gracious there's MK and Kirby father-son fluff _everywhere_. ****I still have to go back and edit it a bit, but it's complete, so go take a look!**

 ***You do not need to read The Babysitter to understand this story. The two are not connected in any way.***

 **You'll quickly realize it, but this story is going to be a lot darker in topic, and will be longer. There aren't any sensitive topics involved as far as I'm concerned, (it is rated K+ afterall), but if something does come up, I'll make sure to let you know beforehand.**

 **Okie dokie, I think it's about time for me to shut up. I hope you enjoy this story, and I really hope you'd leave a review when you're done. I love hearing your feedback, so let me know: what do you think so far? Did my writing get even crappier? Gosh Jul, why the short 1st chapter again?! (Sorry about that eheh) Just let me know! OH, and questions are always appreciated, and always answered.**

* * *

He could see nothing. The world around him was dark, washed in pitch black. It was dead silent, and cold. Shivers were sent down his spine.

 _Where am I?_ He wondered. There was no one to ask, no place to look for clues. The unknown surrounded him, and that put him on edge.

Then he realized he wasn't alone.

 _Tap...tap...tap..._

Soft footfall came from the darkness. It sounded like someone was tip-toeing. He backed away from the sound, until he was trapped in an invisible corner. He was shaking in fear, and his heart felt like it was going to explode. He didn't know what was coming towards him, but he didn't want to know either.

It was dark, but even still, a silhouette of a figure could be made out. It was large, and seemed to be darker than the darkness itself. No words were spoken, but that didn't make things much better. He was still scared, and still found it hard to breathe.

The darkness was now taking over, threatening to take the child with it. Just before it swallowed its victim, a small fading light was seen. The last thing he heard was it making muffled noises, possibly trying to communicate…

* * *

Kirby woke up with a gasp. He hadn't had a dream like this before. Was this...a nightmare? He had only heard of these once before, and that was when Meta Knight explained them. But he had never had one. Not until now.

He didn't know what to do. He was hesitant to go back to sleep, but he didn't want to be tired the next morning. So he figured he'd try and fall asleep again anyway and tell Meta Knight about this tomorrow. He readjusted himself in the bed, and let his eyelids shut. But he couldn't ignore the slight yet lingering nervousness that was lurking in the back of his mind.

Kirby slept well into the morning completely nightmare free. As the sunlight peeked out from the crack between the curtains, it shone upon his face, and prompted him to open his eyes and begin his day. As he sat up, he pulled his sheets to the opposite end of the bed, and then stretched out his paws. He decided he was going to tell Meta Knight about the odd dream he had last night, but not before he grabbed a few apples for breakfast.

He headed to Whispy Woods, and floated to the top of the tree to easily reach the apples. Whispy realized who was sitting on top of him quickly, and greeted the pink puff. Now that he could babble out words, he managed to hold a pretty decent conversation with the tree leader. The two laughed, and overall enjoyed each other's company. When Kirby finally filled himself up, he hopped down from Whispy's branches and waved. "Bye bye Wispee!" He called, to which the tree only smiled before his face vanished back into the bark. Kirby still didn't understand how that worked, but he shook it off and was set to find his mentor.

As the child walked out of the forest, he was picking a direction to go, when he suddenly realized something. _Where is Meta Knight?_ That mysterious blueberry could be anywhere! After thinking for a short time, Kirby figured he'd check the castle, because that seemed the most likely after all.

* * *

Meanwhile, the knight was sitting behind his balcony, as usual. Normally he'd come here to think about things, but today was different. There was nothing going through his mind, and he welcomed the lack of thought. He was just gazing into the distance, watching flower petals fly with the breeze, and seeing how the ocean sparkled. Ah yes, it was a peaceful day. However, it would not stay like this for long.

His moment of blissful solitude ceased when the child ran to his side. "Mena knigh!" He called, somewhat frantic but not enough to throw the knight off guard.

"Hello Kirby. Is something the matter?" Meta greeted.

The child nodded, though he didn't respond right away. "..."

"Well? Just tell me." The knight's tone wasn't harsh, but rather soft, as if he was coaxing Kirby to speak.

"Um...I had a...nighmawre, and it was scawy."

Meta's eyes flashed orange. _A nightmare?! Kirby's never had one of those before, but with Him still alive...it's possible? ...I can't tell him what I'm thinking just yet. I don't want to frighten him anymore._

A beat passed before Meta Knight spoke. "Can you describe what happened in your...nightmare last night?" The child nodded, instantly relieving the teacher. He didn't know what he'd do if Kirby didn't say anything further.

The pink puff interpreted his dream the best he could through babbling, and his mentor's eyes seemed to switch between a deep green and orange the whole time. When Kirby finished, Meta didn't say anything immediately. His eyes seemed to linger green for another minute, and then they flashed a faded gray before returning to their normal color.

Meta Knight drew in a breath. "Why didn't you get me last night?"

Kirby suddenly seemed guilty, and he shifted a bit too. "I didn't wanna bovur yuu…"

The knight's eyes softened, along with his tone. "You wouldn't bother me, little one. Tell you what: if you end up having another nightmare tonight, I want you to come and tell me. I don't care how late it is, I'd like to keep track of your nightmares, to see if their frequency worsens. If that happens, we're going to consult Kabu."

Kirby nodded, though he was still a bit shifty. Meta Knight noticed this, and put his hands on his student's shoulders. "Don't worry Kirby." He reassured, "You're going to be just fine. And if the bad dreams come back, we'll figure out a way to get rid of them. I'm glad you told me this, because now I'm here to help you."

Now feeling better about the situation, Kirby smiled. "Poyo." He said, as a way of saying, "Ok, thank you." Then he moved closer to his mentor, and hugged him, as he still needed that last feeling of security. Without hesitation, his mentor returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around the little boy just like a parent would wrap their arms around their children.

The two puffs stayed like this for a few moments, until Meta slowly broke away. He patted Kirby's head, and even smiled faintly under his mask. The content silence between them became no more when Meta Knight addressed the child. "Well little one, the sun is still out, and your friends are most likely looking for you. Why don't you go find them?"

A beaming Kirby giggled at the thought of playing with his friends, and all memories of nightmares had vanished. "Okie poyo!" He began to walk off, but turned one last time to say, "Tank yuu, dad-dee." He then ran off before his father figure could say anything more.

Meta Knight then refocused on the view from the balcony, glad to console Kirby, yet still worried about the nightmares. _Get ready little one,_ He thought, _We might be in for a bigger storm than you'd ever dream of._

* * *

 **Welp, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! As far as a schedule goes for uploading chapters, I don't really have one, but I don't think I can do the "one per week" like I used to, due to my constant focus on my DeviantArt account. (Go check me out there! I go by the same username)**

 **BUT I will try and be as consistent as I can with these uploads, and I promise I won't keep you waiting for too long. Until then, my friends!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heyo, all you lovely people out there! I feel like it's been a while since I posted, and I'm sorry about that. I've been swamped with requests and all such things on deviantArt, but it's all coming together now. Also, I've started to try to get into a routine in which I draw in the morning and write in the night. Sounds weird, but it's honestly been working, so it's nice to know I have something like a schedule. Again, I don't think I'll have a set schedule for uploading stuff, but I promise I won't take 5 years to post everything.**

 **I've got pretty exciting news, at least in my opinion: I'm almost done with the cover art for No More Nightmares! It's looking pretty great, and I hope to get it up sometime this week.**

 **(I always feel like I waste your time writing a novel intro, and I'm so sorry haha) Let me finish it up here by wishing you a happy reading!**

 **CallieSizemore601- I'm honestly happy to get back into the groove of writing too. And trust me: there will be fluff aplenty! As for sweet dreams...I won't spoil ;)**

 **Kirbyfangirl- Aww, I'm glad you think so! Thank you for your constant support, and I'll always make sure my work's the best it can be!**

 **Storytosee- I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed The Babysitter! This story is definitely going to be different than that one, but I'm glad you like my style and your interest is peaked. Thank you so much!**

* * *

A whole week passed, and Kirby never had another nightmare. It seemed...odd to his mentor, but he was glad nonetheless. He knew the boy wouldn't keep such information from him, but he asked about it the first two days following the night of the nightmare anyway. Nothing but happy dreams were reported. He eventually stopped asking, and told himself that this was something of the past, and it wouldn't come up again.

But his mind wouldn't accept that fact, and no guards went down.

How right his mind was.

 _They were only in the eye of the storm._

One week passed, and all slept peacefully. Well, all except one. One was now upright in his bed, trying to breathe and steady his rapid heartbeat.

* * *

Kirby had just been woken up from a nightmare. This one seemed just as bad as the first, if not worse. The light muffled more, and the previous silence now had creepy ominous sounds fading in the background. They were barely audible, but just enough to further terrify the child. The sounds were similar to those indescribable hushed noises heard in scary movies and video games.

Now that he was up, he was still shaking a bit, and hugging himself out of comfort. He knew it was time to go get Meta Knight, but he didn't really want to walk in the darkness. Though he knew that there was nothing lurking out there, he was still hesitant. In the end, he pushed past his fears, as he didn't want to disobey his mentor by not telling him anything. So off went the covers as Kirby hopped out of bed and headed for the door.

Cappy Town looked the same as it always did at night. It looked the same as it always did to Kirby. But it still sent chills down his spine. It still seemed spooky. With shaky feet, Kirby quickly made his way towards Castle DDD, making sure not to look around any dark alleys while he did so.

When he made it to the castle entrance, he noticed the main gate was up. _Well, there goes the easiest way in. I'll just fly to the balcony then._ With a gulp of air, the child puffed his cheeks, and flew to the balcony. When he was safely over ground, he let out the air, and gently landed.

He wasted no time hastily walking to Meta Knight's apartment. He didn't even notice the Waddle Dees on night patrol shoot him confused looks. When he got to the door, he debated in his head for a minute whether or not he should knock and let himself in. He decided to just go in, since he didn't want to wake up Sword and Blade for something that didn't involve them anyway.

The door was opened ajar, but enough for Kirby to slide in without a sound. It was closed in the same silent manner, and the child crept into his mentor's room without a peep. He then thought about how he was going to wake his mentor. He knew Meta Knight wasn't a deep sleeper, but he didn't want to startle him either. So he softly called, "Mena?"

Meta Knight's eyes opened almost instantly, and he started at the child as his blurred vision began to focus. "Kirby?" A beat followed suit before he spoke again. "Did...you have another nightmare?"

Kirby nodded, and Meta now saw the fear and sadness in his eyes. He sat up out of bed, now fully awake. He felt bad his student had to go through all of this, and noticed he even looked a bit pale from fright. Meta Knight wasn't known to be a great consoler, but he figured he might as well try to help calm him down at the very least. He tried to make his tone as gentle and comforting as he could, and hoped it would work. He looked Kirby right in the eyes, mask off and everything, and started.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, little one. I know your nightmare was scary, but it's over now. How about you describe it to me? It might help you feel better if you talk the dream out."

A nervous gulp and a head nod following told the knight that the child was ready to speak. But before he said anything, Meta motioned him to hop on the bed with him. He climbed on, with his mentor's help, and settled in next to his side. Kirby leaned softly against Meta Knight as he spoke, finding it comforting as the latter wrapped his arm around him. Once he was done, Meta repeated everything back to him, making sure he didn't miss any parts.

"So, it was dark like the last time. You were in a corner, and you saw a big figure. It seemed to try to grab at you, but it was stopped by a small light. This was the same light as before, and it sounded like it was trying to tell you something. But it wasn't clear, and you couldn't make out anything. But before you could try to understand, you woke up."

The child nodded. He huddled into his mentor, paws against his side. Then he looked up with fearful blue eyes, and murmured, "What does the wight want, dad-dee? I don't tink it's scawy…" Kirby didn't get an answer instantly. When he looked up, he saw Meta Knight's eyes were green.

After a moment, his eyes shifted back to their normal yellow, and he looked back at the child. He sighed quietly. "I'm not sure, little one. But I know we'll figure out what it is soon. Until then, you need to try to get some sleep."

Kirby shifted at the word "sleep". He really didn't want to doze off and dream of nightmares again; Meta Knight couldn't blame him. He wasn't going to ask the child to go back home, not even if he walked him back: the child wouldn't feel comfortable in the dark for a while. He had to get his boy to sleep again, even if there was a chance he'd have another nightmare. So he tried to coax him to bed, and did so with the best offer he could give.

"Kirby, why don't you sleep with me tonight? I know you're scared you'll have another nightmare, but I'll be here if you need me. How about it?"

Kirby thought for a moment. _If I go to sleep again, I might have another nightmare! But if I sleep with Meta Knight, he can drive the bad dreams away. And I won't be alone!_

The young puff gave a little yet reassuring smile, and nodded. No more time was wasted, as he got comfortable in the bed that was definitely big enough to fit two small puffballs. As he lay there, Meta began to stroke his head to prompt him to fall asleep. It was working, as the child's eyes began to droop from the soothing motion, and he was sleeping in a matter of minutes. Meta Knight smiled as he heard Kirby's breathing change, and he joined him in dreamland soon after.

* * *

No more nightmares haunted the child that night. As Meta Knight woke up, he realized this, and sighed inwardly in relief. As he got up and started to pace the room, he couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of pattern to these horrible dreams…

He was interrupted in his train of thought as he heard Kirby shift in the bed. He turned around to see the child sitting upright and stretching his paws in the air, squealing a cute yawn as he did so. Once he opened his eyes, he noticed his mentor staring at him with the infamous mask back on. He smiled back at him.

"Mornig Mena kni!" He chirped.

Meta was surprised to see him in such a happy mood after having a nightmare only the night before. Nonetheless, he was happy, and replied, "Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well for the rest of the night?"

"Yea! I had hapee dweams!" He said as he hopped out of the bed, and skipped to Meta's side.

"That's good to hear. Why don't I take you out for breakfast, and then we can train in the woods from there?"

"Okay!" The child was more than happy to spend time with his mentor- he thought that he was the reason why he didn't have another nightmare. _Meta Knight drove all the bad dreams away!_ Of course, Meta didn't know this, but was relieved the young puff was acting himself again.

* * *

After a surprisingly delicious breakfast at Chef Kawasaki's, the two warriors made their way into the field hidden in the depths of Whispy Woods. The day was a nice one to train in Meta's opinion: it was a tad bit chilly, but the sun was giving off warm light. The seasons were beginning to change from summer to autumn, and it was starting to show in the weather. It was the best time to train, since the humidity was dropping, but the sun still took its time setting.

For a few hours, Kirby focused on his mentor's exercises. He was getting better with handling a sword, and his speed was top notch. His defense was improving slowly but surely, and he was beginning to be introduced to new copy abilities. Meta Knight made sure that his sessions were challenging, yet not too much that his student was pushing himself. He knew the child wouldn't say anything if he was struggling or stressing with a particular exercise because he didn't want to be a disappointment, so he made it a top priority to keep a close eye on the child at all times.

Today's session went well, as usual. Kirby never let his mentor down, and the two of them knew that. After he got a few pointers and such from the teacher, the two headed back to the castle. The sun was setting, so Meta made sure to hurry his student back home so he wouldn't have to walk around in the dark.

As they were walking, Meta Knight thought about where the child was going to sleep. He wasn't fond of the idea of the young puff sleeping alone in his house, not after last night's incident. Something told him the next nightmare would occur sooner than a week this time too, and he wasn't going against that hunch. Again, he didn't want to scare Kirby with this thought, but he did want to persuade him into sleeping somewhere that he could be close by if need be.

They reached the front of the main drawbridge when Meta Knight turned to Kirby. "Little one, why don't you sleep in the guest room in my apartment tonight? I don't think it'd be a good idea to try to walk back to your home during the night hours." That second part was a partial lie, but then again, it wasn't not true either. At least, that's what he told himself.

Kirby didn't take long to nod in agreement with a big smile on his face. He was always happy to spend time with his mentor, even if that meant sleeping in separate rooms during the night. Plus, he didn't really want to be alone since last night's nightmare. He pushed the matter to the back of his mind, but it still worried him that he'd end up having another nightmare tonight. He didn't tell Meta Knight how he felt though, because he knew Meta Knight would tell him that he was going to be just fine. And he was! Or so he hoped…

After eating dinner with Tiff and her family, Kirby bid them all good night and made his way to his father figure's nearby apartment. He politely knocked on the door, to which he was greeted by Sword.

"Ay, good evening Kirby! Are you spending the night here?" The said puff nodded. "Well, come on in then. Meta Knight's in the guest room now, but in the meantime, why don't you join Blade and me on the couch? We're watching one of our favorite shows, and I'm sure you'll like it too."

Kirby smiled. "Poyo!" He jumped onto the couch, and was greeted by Blade. "Hey Kirby! Long time no see, am I right?" Between the two esquires, Blade definitely liked Kirby more, and the two had a closer friendship than Kirby and Sword. Sword got along very well with the puff, but Blade just connected more, since he was more happy-go-lucky and childish, like Kirby. But nonetheless, the three settled on the couch quickly and directed their attention at the television, which was playing the theme song to the esquires' favorite show.

Meta Knight entered the living room about five minutes into the show, and noticed Kirby on the couch with his other students. He then quickly looked at the TV screen, and realized what was playing. _They were watching_ that _show; the one that was_ not _kid friendly. And this was one of the dirtiest episodes._

Before he saw anything, Meta Knight quickly scooped Kirby off the couch, and told him to go into the guest bedroom. When he heard the door shut, Meta turned to his esquires with an exasperated look on his face. "Really guys? You couldn't change the channel to something more, I don't know, child friendly?"

Blade shrugged. "What? This is totally child…" Then he remembered which episode he was watching, bit his tongue, and chuckled nervously. "...okay, you got a point. Sorry about that, sir." Meta Knight sighed. "Consider yourselves lucky I came in here when I did. If Kirby would've heard terms he'd never heard before, I would've made _you_ give 'the talk'."

Blade gulped, and Sword shuttered while his face lost color. "Y-yes, sir. U-understood, sir. W-won't happen again." Blade spoke for the both of them- they knew Meta wasn't kidding, and they didn't want to be the ones to shatter the pink puff's innocence. Meta Knight then left the room to attend to Kirby, leaving Sword and Blade alone in the room with the show running. Sword turned to his brother and asked, "Why don't we turn off the TV for tonight, and head to bed?" The now scarred Blade nodded. "I was thinking the same thing." So the TV went off, and let's just say they didn't watch that show for a while after that incident.

Now back to the puffs. Kirby was fluffing his pillow when he heard his mentor come in. He smiled, though it seemed faded, and just a bit fake. Meta Knight knew the child would be reluctant to sleep, so he had prepared a trick up his sleeve. He lifted the toddler into bed, and tucked him in the still warm straight-out-of-the-dryer sheets that Meta put on, since the nights were getting colder. Then he pulled up a chair next to the edge of the bed, and unleashed his secret weapon.

"How about I tell you a bedtime story, little one?"

Those seemed to be the magic words, and Kirby immediately settled in. Like any young child, he loved listening to stories, and he was in luck, because Meta Knight was actually a great storyteller. He didn't grow up with tales, but he had picked up a few from the adults of Cappy Town. But the one tonight, he had heard Sir Ebrum tell to Fumu and Bun when they were around Kirby's age.

"This is a tale that most of the Cappy children grow up with, so I'm sure you'll like it too. Now, it all began when…"

Meta Knight was off, preaching the story as if he had heard it so many times that he knew it from memorization. Never did he stutter or skip a line, and he easily awed the child adjacent to him. He could tell Kirby was beyond amazed from the sparkles that lit up in his widened eyes and mouth that was hanging agape. The tale itself was an old one made for explaining how Popstar came to be, but intended for a young audience. It was good by itself, but it could be even better when told by the right storyteller. And Meta Knight fit this role as a key fits in a lock.

It wasn't an awfully long tale, and Meta was done in no more than half an hour. He left his adopted son speechless, with a new wonderment in his eyes. He didn't even have to ask, "What did you think?" because he could just tell. And he smiled at that fact.

He didn't wait for the child to speak again when he tucked him in the sheets again for good measure, and patted his head. "Good night, little one." He said softly, eyes slightly blue in the middle. The pink puff yawned, and smiled back, before drifting off into sleep.

* * *

Somewhere on the outskirts of the Gamble Galaxy lay a floating enemy base. It goes by the name of Nightmare Enterprises, and the man whom it was named after lives here. He stood before his chessboard, but focused his attention elsewhere. He was looking into his glass orb that floated above the chessboard. It showed two familiar puffballs together, bonding over a bedtime story. He began to talk aloud.

"This is all you wanted...disgusting sweet scenes and happy endings. Pathetic. You ran off, only to become weaker. It's as if all the things I've said to you, drilled in your head, went in one ear and out the other. To waste my time, and look at you now!"

He pounded on the chessboard, and sent a few pieces flying in the air. He was beyond enraged, but he restrained himself from breaking his precious orb. He knew blind anger would get him nowhere and only made him look foolish in the end, so he began to slowly calm himself down. To do this, he continued speaking.

"It'll all be worth it once my plan finally comes in tact. All this time wasted, it will be worth waiting around. But before I get ahead of myself, we need to figure out how to corrupt you. Because a corrupted soul is easy game. Let's see...what scares you the most?"

He looked back into the glassy reflection from the orb, and caught the blue puffball patting the pink one's head. And that's when it hit him.

He gave a slight, evil grin. "So, you two are close? Let's just see if that's the case when I'm done with you."

He cackled out a bellowing and absolutely terrifying laughter. There was no way this plan could be ruined...and he was going to see it succeed in a matter of nightmares.

He couldn't wait. He would finally get what he wanted, what was taken from him. And nothing was going to stop him.

* * *

 **Now's the perfect time to go follow, favorite, or review! I always benefit from your support, so don't be shy, and let me know how I'm doing! I don't bite, I promise. Still nothing? Well, I'm gonna let you in on a secret: your reviews actually inspire me to get these chapters out faster! It doesn't matter if you just say something little like, "This was good" or even just a, "Hi, why are you so over-dramatic?" I honestly love hearing your feedback, so don't be a stranger! (Oh, just to make it clear, when I say faster, I mean somewhere closer to a week rather than 2. I don't think I could upload chapters every 3 days!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello lovely readers! I'm back at ya with yet another chapter- and it only took me a week too! I can't believe it! It was a really easy chapter to write actually, and OH MY NOVA THERE'S A LOTTA FLUFF. I swear I didn't even plan to make it so fluffy!**

 **I know this chapter's a little on the short side. But, I like to make them a nice length: somewhere in between taking years to finish, and taking a minute or less to finish. Plus I update pretty quickly, wouldn't you think? So what I lack in length, I make up for in speed. But I always make sure the quality is unaffected, and stays at its top tier.**

 **It's so hard to write in toddler dialogue...isn't that a little ironic? If you have trouble figuring out what Kirby's saying, try reading it aloud. If you still can't get it, just PM me, and I'll translate it for ya!**

 **Do you guys even read my little notes up here? I feel like I go on for ages, only to have people skip over it completely. ...Oh well!**

 **CallieSizemore601- Yep, it's him! Poor little Kirby...he's got a lot of stuff coming up for him. And yea, Meta Knight is the hero of preserving innocence! I didn't really think of a specific show, but I assume they were watching something along the lines of South Park haha.**

 **EspeonSulliedGrace- They were watching something dirty, that's for sure! Ah Nightmare, he's got a lot planned...brace yourself, little pink puff. (Don't you hurt him either! He's a child!) But thank you so much, and I shall continue to write!**

 **Guest- Thank you so much! I hope you look forward to this chapter!**

* * *

It was dark again. But this time, there was a faded light that gave him sight of where he was. It turned out the light was close to useless, because the walls around him were black. All except one. One had red oozing liquid splattered across. He guessed it was blood, and knew it had to be once the powerful stench of fresh iron hit him. It left him lightheaded, so he tried to leave into the hallway that he'd never seen before. No doors or barriers holding him back: it was like he was supposed to go there.

Still dizzy, the light became foggier, and his vision was blurred. The scent of iron was gone, but he was still feeling uneasy. The area he was currently in seemed to have blacker walls, and he could feel the discomfort crawling all in his skin. But then, footsteps were heard. It sounded like metal shoes hitting a hard flooring. _Is that...him? Thank goodness: he can help me out of here!_

He ran towards the figure, and up until this point, the light was gone. When he called out to him, the light faded back in as on command. One look sent him screaming and fearfully shuffling back.

This was not the man he knew. This one had the mask, and the shoes, and even his wings spread out instead of his cape. But there was one thing wrong.

 _He was covered in blood._ His mask was bloody and beginning to rust, his wings torn with new blood dripping off the tips. Even his eyes were a blood red. It was horrifying.

The other one waited to see what he would do.

He sheathed Galaxia. But this wasn't the Galaxia he knew. This Galaxia was blacker than the night sky, and it was also bloody, but with blood that would never go bad, but always be shiny and fresh.

He lifted himself up in the air, and sent a Sword Beam as red as the blood covering Galaxia towards the watching one.

That was all it took to send the other one running for his life. He was running in a dark, foggy maze, with the threat flying close by. The little rat race didn't last awfully long, as he hit a dead end. He turned 5 shades paler than usual, and his blood ran cold while his lungs seemed to stop.

The threat wasted no more time pinning the trembling one on the floor with his wings, and held Galaxia in the air. As he began to stab Galaxia through him, he heard a familiar voice.

"...Hey! ….Can you hear me?...Kabu!..." Called the voice almost drowning in feedback and static.

* * *

Kirby jolted upright in his bed and screamed. There were tears at the edges of his eyes, and he was pale like before. Then a familiar face, er mask so to say, spoke from the side of the bed.

"It's ok. It was only a dream."

Meta Knight. The man in his nightmare, covered in blood, lusting for his own.

He was _horrifying_.

Kirby screamed again, and the tears fell. "NO!" He shouted, now hugging his pillow as he sobbed. He was hiding his face, so he didn't have to see Meta's anymore.

Meta Knight withdrew his arms that were reaching to hold the boy's paws. He was very concerned: Kirby was never scared of him like this. _Did he have a nightmare of me? ...How am I going to get him to open up to me again? I don't want him to see me as a threat…_

He sighed, and took off his mask and shoulder pads. Again, he tried to reach the poor scared child.

"Hey Kirby, I know you're scared, but can you look at me?" Nothing.

"I took off my mask and everything, little one. Please?" Same answer as before.

He removed Galaxia's scabbard from his side, and placed it in the pile of his other things that were just outside the bedroom. He tried for a third time.

"I don't want you to fear me. You're my son, and I hate seeing you like this. Please." He was practically begging at this point.

It seemed to work. Kirby slowly lifted his eyes from the pillow, and saw his father figure smiling at him with warm, yellow eyes. They were nothing like the blood-lustful red ones in the dream.

"There we go. Hey, son." He softly said in a tone parents use to comfort their children.

Kirby wasn't crying anymore, but his eyes still seemed teary. The pillow wasn't hiding any part of his face anymore, and he murmured, "Dad-dee?"

Meta Knight gave a relieved yet gentle head nod. "Yes, I'm here. I'm not going to harm you."

A hesitance followed a lip pout that a baby gives before crying hysterically. "Dad...dee" He cried, running right into Meta Knight's open arms. He sobbed harder than before, and proceeded to soak Meta's cape with tears. But the blue puff could care less, and only kept his little boy close in his protective arms. He rubbed his back, and muttered light whispers and traces of "there, there" now and then.

* * *

Meanwhile, a chessboard was being banged upon by an enraged fist in a base out somewhere. He had seen his plan fail right in front of his eyes, and he cursed the two puffballs. "I can't believe you came that close with that wretched knight in such little time. You're wasting _my_ precious time, you _failure_!" He was boiling with anger, and he killed the poor servant who peeped his head in the room to give his reports. Of course he didn't feel any regret, but he did calm himself down a notch.

"Control yourself, it will all be worth it."

His eyes directed on the crystal orb once more, and he watched the pink puff cry into the arms of the blue puff.

"Just wait and see," he spoke to the two, "I will get my way in the end. It may take longer than I planned, and I may not have as many tricks up my sleeve as I had first thought, but I will get my way. I will get back what was taken from me, and I will not stop until it's been returned to me!"

He then focused the orb's reflection on the blue puff. And he spoke again.

"You hear that, knight? You think you won, but the war isn't over. He's going to come back to me, even if it's by force. And you won't be able to stop me!"

He cackled his booming, horrible laughter, and filled the room with feelings of a nightmare.

* * *

Time seemed to stop for the dad and his son. But finally, the tears began to slow, then fade into sniffles. A reassuring pat on the back was given, and it broke the embrace. The last tear that was just under Kirby's eye was brushed away, and Meta Knight smiled at him too. He then asked him a question, but made sure to ask it carefully.

"Would you mind if I put my mask back on? I promise I won't hurt you or make you scared of me."

An uncertain look came from Kirby, and he placed his paws on his father figure's glove. He then shook his head. "Tomowo, okie?"

The knight complied. "Alright. Now that you're calmed down, can you tell me what happened in your nightmare?"

"Well, I was in the dak woom agan, but thew was bwood on the walls! I was dizee, and I wan to the next woom. And ten...I saw yuu…" His voice began to waver at the mention of his mentor. "Yuu wew bwoody, and yuu twied to...kiew me wif Gaxea. I wan, but yuu got me. But the last fing I hewd was a voice- the same voice from befow, but it was cwear!"

Meta Knight's eyes went orange. "You could hear the voice speaking to you? Did it sound evil?"

Kirby shook his head. "No no! It sownd like a nice layde."

"A lady? What did she say?"

"She saed, 'Hewo, can yuu heer me?' But then she showted, 'Kabu!' And ten I woke up."

Meta Knight was perplexed. "Kabu? What does he have to do with any of this?" _Does Kabu know something we don't?_ It was possible he could hold information passed on by other Star Warriors, unless… _Is Kabu trying to send us a message?_ He wasn't getting anywhere just thinking to himself, and he had a confused child staring at him as if wanting answers.

He turned back to Kirby, and spoke. "I don't know what this means, but I think Kabu wants to tell us something."

The child was surprised, and his eyes went wide. "Is Kabu gowing to stop the nightmawes?"

"I'm not sure, little one. We'll find out when we go to see him."

"Are we gowing naow?"

"Not until morning. You need to try to get more sleep."

A pause for a flinch. "But...I don't wanna sweep!"

And a sign. "I know, little one, but you need it. Come on, at least try."

Kirby couldn't disobey his mentor. So he closed his eyes again, and fell asleep once more as the covers were tucked around him. Meta Knight pulled up a chair, and fell asleep in it, since he wasn't going to leave the child's side if he had another nightmare.

* * *

He had only dreamt of dark nothingness for the rest of the night. It was ominous, but it was better than horrible images of a bloody mentor trying to end his life. But it still had him on edge all during his sleep, and prevented him from deep sleeping all night. He woke up in the early afternoon, which was surprising since Meta Knight was a strict believer of being an early riser. He stretched his paws, and wiped the muck out of his eyes when he heard footsteps coming towards his room.

It was none other than Meta Knight, in his mask and other armor. Kirby felt no fear of him, but felt bad for sleeping in and was going to apologize, but his mentor spoke up first.

"It's good to see you awake, Kirby. I know it's the afternoon, but I purposely let you sleep in, since you were up last night. Waking up early is good, but getting your rest is the top priority. Did you sleep alright for the remainder of the night?"

Kirby shrugged. "Not weally...I dedn't hav any dweams. It was bwak, and a littlw scawy."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I stayed around here so you wouldn't be alone when you woke up, but now I have to go on my daily patrol. Would you like to come with me, or do you want to go see what Fumu and Bun are up to?"

A pause for decision. "I tink I'll find Fumu and Bun. Is that okie wif yuu?"

Meta Knight nodded. "Of course. All I ask of you then is that you come back here no later than sunset. Kabu awakens at night, so we have to wait until then."

Kirby hopped out of bed, and nodded. "Okie, poyo." He roughly tried to make the bed, and then skipped to the door. Before he left, he smiled at his mentor.

"Tank yuu, Mena kni, for hepping me feel betew last nign." He said, and then left the apartment to find his friends.

Meta Knight didn't say anything, but his eyes turned blue and he shook his head while a smile played on his lips. He figured he'd stay around the borders' grasslands all day today since he didn't have training with his esquires, so he packed a few things in a small satchel, and soon headed out as well.

* * *

The day had gone by peacefully. Kirby spent the day jumping in leaf piles with Bun, and listening to Fumu as she read him parts from her favorite book on marine biology. The three had a great day indeed, and enjoyed the slightly chilly weather. It was such a great day, that Kirby and Bun even got Fumu to put her book down and jump in a leaf pile or two! But then, the day was over as the sky started turning orange, and Fumu mentioned going back home in time for supper.

"I heard mom was making shepherd's pie- it's one of her best dishes! Why don't you come with us and try it?" Fumu turned to Kirby.

But the pink puff shook his head. "No tank yuu. I haf to go sumwewe."

He was stopped by a curious Bun. "Where are you going?"

Kirby faltered. He didn't want to tell his friends about what was happening, because he didn't want to worry them. But on the other hand, he didn't want to lie either.

"Umm...I...I...Mena knign and I haf to do someting, and I can't be wate!"

Now the two were suspicious. But they didn't press the matter surprisingly, and Fumu nodded her head. "Alright then, I guess I'll see you later. Bye Kirby!"

"Poyoooo!" He shouted as he darted back to the castle.

Bun turned to his equally confused sister once Kirby was long gone from their sight. "Uh sis, what was that all about? Is Kirby hiding something?"

Fumu sighed, now a little worried. "I don't know, Bun- it's not like him to keep things secret from us. I'll talk to Meta Knight about it later. He may know something that we don't."

Bun nodded, and didn't speak again as the two walked back home.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kirby sped to Meta Knight's apartment. He didn't notice that his mentor was outside in the hallway, and would've crashed into him if he wasn't stopped by a pair of gloved hands. Kirby gave a sheepish grin. "Sowee…"

"It's okay, little one. Are you ready to go?" His student nodded. "Alright, let's go as we still have a little bit of light outside."

The two left before the kids got home.

* * *

When they reached Kabu's Valley, the sun had completely set, and it was dark. Kirby huddled closer to Meta Knight and even held an end of the cape towards him. Meta didn't say anything, and only put his arm around the child.

He then looked up at the mysterious tiki-like statue that served as a resting place for Star Warriors.

"We're here Kabu. Tell us your message."

* * *

 **Psst, you should totally shoot me a review! They always seem to help me get into the writing mood, and I do my best when I know my readers have faith in me too. Please don't be shy! (If you want to be a little more private about it, don't be scared to send me a PM! I'll answer any questions, take any suggestions, and all that fun stuff) Thank you for reading, and I hope to be back again in a week or two!^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**AA I'm sorry I took awhile to write this chapter! (Or maybe it hasn't been long and I'm just being paranoid...) I didn't hit writer's block or anything, I just didn't feel like sitting down and writing for long periods of time. But I finally pulled myself together, and got this chapter done! The other day, I was full of motivation to get things done, and although my summer bridging work was hardly touched, this was finished, so hey, not bad.**

 **Hm, usually I write down any announcements here, but I don't think I have any this time around...OH WAIT if you haven't noticed, the cover art for No More Nightmares is finished! If you want to see a bigger picture of it, you can find it on my deviantArt. Username's the same, so that saves you some hassle.**

 **Okay, I'm sorry if some of the wording seems strange or awkward in some paragraphs, and especially around the dialogue. (There's a lot this time...) I've been mixing up words and forgetting words that I want to say lately. I'm not sick or anything- I just tend to word things in weird ways sometimes. But enough about me, let's get right into the next chapter!**

 **(Holy carps we got a lot of reviews from chapter 3! You guys are the best!)**

 **CallieSizemore601- Heh, you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that...but it'll all work out later on.^^**

 **MyKnightLife- I know, it's Meta Dad to the rescue! (I love using that title for him^^;) Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!**

 **EspeonSulliedGrace- Yea, you could say he is a real _Nightmare_ to deal with! (I'll leave now haha) Oh, I'm glad to hear Kirby's dialect is understandable! I keep forgetting to add poyo every now and then, but hey, we can't always be perfect I guess! I'll try not to procrastinate in the future. Thank you!**

 **Pure knight- Thank you so much! I'll try my best to keep the quality high and the fluff at an overload!^^**

 **jellomagmortar- Hey, I'm glad you liked The Babysitter, and you're interested in this one too! I'm a huge sucker for fluff too, so I'm always happy to write it and share it with everyone. And thank _you_ for reading!**

* * *

It wasn't a question, but instead a request. A demand for possibly crucial information. It wasn't demanding in a negative sense, and he knew this. They both did. So there was no apologies to be given, no apologies to forgive. There was no time to apologize, so it was crucial that this was known between them.

Kabu knew Meta Knight and Kirby would come. He also knew why. And he did not waste time delivering his message: he knew its urgency.

"Sir Meta Knight and Kirby, Comet NOVA requests your presence outside of Planet Popstar.'"

Meta's eyes turned bright orange. _Comet Nova?! The goddess that looks over the whole Gamble Galaxy?! What could she want from us…?_ The knight was dumbfounded, but the child beside him was amazed. He didn't even know gods and goddesses could send messages, yet alone speak to mortals like himself. Though confused, he was excited to meet Nova- that is, if his mentor and he would actually go.

There was a few moments of silence all around the three. But Kirby eventually broke it by giving a little tug on Meta Knight's cape, and asking in a low voice, "Mena? What ah we gonna do?"

As orange eyes began to fade out into their typical yellow, said knight closed his eyes and shook his head. He sighed, and looked back at his student. "It doesn't look like we have much of a choice. We're going to go see Nova."

Kirby's eyes went wide. He didn't know whether to be excited or scared to meet a goddess, but he was awed either way. He wondered if Nova knew who he was- he knew she knew his name, but what about him as a puffball? Did she know his favorite color, or his best friends, or maybe even something about himself he didn't even know? He was dying to get answers to his questions, but he knew he would most likely have to be patient in waiting. But he did have one question that didn't need time to answer, since it was for Meta Knight.

"Uh, Mena? Sowee for askeng so manee questons…" He started, now a little shy to bug his mentor yet again. But his mentor only patted his shoulder, and said with a calm tone, "You're alright. What would you like to ask me?"

"How ah we gona get tere? To see Nuvah?"

"We're going by our Starships. Both are hidden away in the basement, but I'll have to check them out. I'm not sure if yours is repairable, given its crash landing not once, but twice.

Kirby remembered that day like it was yesterday. He had crashed onto Popstar, met everybody, had his ship repaired by Meta Knight, and then had it accidentally blown up again by Escargoon. Ever since his arrival, he hadn't seen his ship, and even forgot about it until now. But hearing about it again brought back happy memories, and he was glad the ship took an emergency landing into this planet. He loved his home, and everybody in it.

He was pulled out of his reminiscing when Meta Knight tapped his shoulder. "We should head back now, little one." Kirby nodded, and held his mentor's hand as they started to head back. But before they left the valley, the older of the two spoke to the one that gave them their message.

"Thank you, Kabu. Farewell."

"One more thing, Sir Meta Knight and Kirby." The statue-like figure spoke once more, and captured the attention of its audience.

"Comet NOVA has asked that your visit takes no more than a week to plan. The matter needed to be discussed is dire."

Both puffs froze. Dire? Nonetheless, Meta nodded his head. "Thank you again, Kabu."

* * *

The walk back to the castle was silent. Neither one of them spoke a word, but they could read each other's minds quite easily. It was a no brainer that both were anxious about Kabu's second message.

 _What could Nova want that's so dire? It can't be too important if she's calling for a meeting with mortals…right?_ Meta Knight tried to reassure himself, but it didn't seem to be helping much. Meanwhile, he caught a glimpse of the child at his side, and saw a scared look plastered on his ever so adorable face. He decided to break the silence, and hopefully intervene if Kirby was troubled.

He stopped, and his student followed suit, though slightly confused. He then faced the child, eyes meeting, and asked in a gentle tone, "Are you alright, little one? It looks like something is bothering you."

Kirby seemed to be taken back by the question, and fumbled around with his words before he gave an answer. "...I...I'm just scawd. What does Nuvah want? Are we in twouble?"

Meta Knight feared he wouldn't be able to give his student a solid answer, but now he felt very relieved. He shook his head no, and offered the boy a hidden smile. "I don't think so. How about we just push this matter aside until tomorrow? You can stay in the guest room again, but before you go off, why not say good night to Fumu and Bun?"

 _Fumu and Bun._ Kirby forgot that he had rushed off suddenly, and knew they were going to be onto him. But he didn't want his friends getting involved: they would worry too much! The pink child shook his head vigorously and tugged a little at his mentor's cape. "Mena, I dun want tem to know abow today! Pease dun say anyteeg!"

Meta was surprised: Kirby never wanted to hold secrets from anyone, especially not Fumu and Bun. But he understood why he was pleading- he was afraid they'd worry about him, and he didn't want to upset them like that. So he nodded, and promised he wouldn't say a word about Kabu or his message. The topic didn't drop after that, as Meta Knight inquired, "You didn't tell them about the nightmares either, did you?" Kirby didn't respond, but his teacher knew his answer by the guilty, heartbroken expression that focused on the ground and uncomfortable shifting under the cape. Meta sighed. "Alright, I won't say anything. But I advise that you tell them what's been happening after we get things settled. You'll upset them if you tell them now, but you'll upset them more if you never tell them and they find out."

Kirby knew his mentor was right. So he agreed to tell his friends what was going on after he met Nova and stopped having nightmares. For now, he was to focus on the task at hand, which consisted of helping Meta find and prepare the starships. But his mentor didn't give this task; in fact, he was telling his student the exact opposite.

* * *

Never was Kirby a disobedient child, but he was being very stubborn in falling asleep. He just wouldn't, and as much as his parental figure understood, he still pushed his boy to go to sleep. Kirby began throwing a small tantrum, which was a result from a mix of fear and a lack of good sleep from the past nights. "No Mena! I dun wanna sweep! Pweese dun make me!" He cried, tears falling down his face. He was running a rat race around the guest room, and overall giving poor Meta a hard time.

The knight was slowly but surely losing his patience. "Come on, little one. You have to go to sleep sooner or later, or you're going to be too tired to see Nova, not to mention you could get sick." But Kirby was not having any of it. He just yelled back, "I dun cawe! No sweep!"

Another sigh came from Meta. _You leave me no choice, child._ He thought. He activated his dimensional cape, and was gone in seconds.

Kirby halted both in his running and crying, scared to death of being alone. He knew his mentor could be anywhere, so he tried to hide himself in the nearby corner of the room. He backed up slowly, ever so slowly, when…

...Meta flashed right behind him, and caught him. The frightened child screamed, and then started hysterically sobbing- he knew his mentor was going to put him to bed. And bedtime meant nightmare time. And he didn't want to have anymore nightmares.

He started flinging himself all over in Meta's arms in attempt to break free, but the veteran Star Warrior had an iron grip on him. The hysteria wasn't stopping anytime soon either, and it was getting a little irritating at this point. It did take a bit, but Kirby was finally put in bed, covers tucked and all. But that didn't mean he was going to fall asleep, or stop his tantrum.

Meta Knight finally had enough. Gathering up the last of his patience, he looked his student in the eyes, and started, "Kirby, please stop this act. You're not a baby anymore, and even young Star Warriors don't act like this. Come on, stop crying, and look at me." The child became obedient once again, because he knew his mentor was right. He finally stopped yelling and sobbing, and finished his tantrum with a few final sniffles. Once he quieted down, Meta Knight continued, "That's better. I know you're scared to go to sleep, but you have to anyway. I'm not trying to hurt you, I only look out for you. So please, try to fall asleep tonight. If you want, I'll stay with you until you're deep in dreamland. How about that?"

Kirby didn't want to fall asleep, but he knew his mentor was right. He knew he'd feel better if his mentor was by his side, so he took up the offer that was given to him. So he snuggled in the covers, and felt himself get drowsy from his body giving in to the pull of much needed sleep. His mentor walked over to him and began to stroke his head. With the combined power of the soft covers and relaxing feeling against his skin, Kirby was successfully out cold in no time.

Once Meta Knight was sure his student was fully sleeping, he quietly closed the door behind him as he exited the room. He looked at the clock just above the television: it read 9:00 PM. _Oh, it's earlier than I thought,_ he mused. Usually if Kirby spent the night with him, he'd be in bed closer to a half hour or even an hour later than now. Of course there was nothing wrong with him getting some shut eye sooner- he hadn't slept the night before after all.

Since it was still a bit early, the aged knight mused on whether he should read a novel from his equally aged bookshelf or just head in his room to sleep anyway. His thoughts were interrupted however, when Sword and Blade stepped out of their shared bedroom. Their faces looked slightly concerned.

"Is everything okay with Kirby, sir? We heard him screaming and sobbing not too long ago." Sword asked for the both of them.

"Was this related to the nightmares?" Blade added before his teacher could respond.

Meta nodded. "He was reluctant to sleep from fear of having another nightmare. But I finally calmed him down, and got him to fall asleep."

Both of the esquires nodded back, not sure of what to say next, but relieved all was well now.

With their questions answered, they were both ready to go back into their room. "Alright then, sir, we're going to call it a night." Sword said while Blade chirped out right after, "Sleep well, Meta Knight!"

"Wait, Sword, Blade. There is one thing I have to tell you before I let you go." Meta called. The young men skidded to a halt, ready to listen. Once the blue knight was sure he had their full attention, he continued, "As of now, you are the only people who know about Kirby's nightmares besides him and myself. I ask that you keep it this way: do not let anyone else know about these occurrences."

Blade seemed surprised. "Wait, not even Fumu and Bun know about this?"

"No, I didn't tell them. Kirby doesn't want to let them know until we get rid of these nightmares, because he doesn't want to upset them or cause worry."

Sword nodded in understanding, and smiled a bit. "That definitely sounds like Kirby: always looking out for the good of others. We promise we won't say anything to anyone in regards to the nightmares, or any event associated with it."

"Thank you, Sword and Blade. That's all I needed to say, so good night to the both of you."

And both saluted their knight before they headed back into their room.

Now with that out of the way, Meta Knight decided to retire to bed sooner than usual. However, he was interrupted yet again with an unexpected knock on the apartment door. Curious to see who it was, he opened it up to see Fumu. Speak of the devil.

"Hello Fumu," He greeted her, "May I ask what you're doing here at this hour?"

"I'm sorry for the late visit, but I wanted to ask you about Kirby." When Meta didn't respond, she continued, "Is everything okay with him? He ran off in a hurry today while we were hanging out, and he looked a little anxious."

"Oh, I told him to meet me back at the castle by sunset. We had to talk about specific matters. He's spending the night here, and everything's fine." Meta Knight chose his words carefully. He didn't want to lie to Fumu- he just wasn't going to tell her everything.

Fumu seemed surprised by his answer, and looked as though she was going to argue, but she nodded instead. "Okay then. Well, I guess I should head back before my parents start to worry. Goodnight, and thank you for your time, Sir Meta Knight."

He smiled under his mask. "Good night to you too."

He shut the door, and only now realized how tired he was from helping Kirby the night before, and dealing with the tantrum fit not too long ago. No more time was wasted as he made his way into his bedroom, and shut the door. The mask and armor came off quickly, and he was under his sheets soon after. As he shut off his lamp on the night table, he lay in bed alone in his thoughts.

The first thing that ran through his mind was how scared he felt when he heard Kabu say Comet Nova wanted to see him, and more importantly, Kirby. He couldn't even take a guess as to what the goddess wanted, but he hoped she wasn't looking to harm his boy. He then mused if it was possible that she was causing the nightmares. Nova was generally neutral in her stance between good versus evil, but it seemed questionable at times. She definitely had the power to cause the bad dreams, but the question is why? Why would she randomly start messing around with a mortal, and then call him to a meeting? It was a bit frustrating, and waiting only made the knight more anxious.

But then a sudden realization popped up and interrupted his pondering: Fumu knew. From the way she responded, Meta Knight knew Fumu knew something was wrong. He knew she didn't know any details, because she didn't press the topic, or mention anything in particular. He felt bad for keeping her in the dark, especially since she always knew everything about Kirby, but he knew he couldn't break his promise to Kirby. Kirby was his adopted son, and it would be catastrophic if he broke the trust between them. He shook his head: Fumu wouldn't be left behind forever- it was only until the nightmares were gone. Problem was, he didn't know how long that was going to take. He did know that Fumu would be almost hot on their tails until she found out what was happening herself. He'd have to make sure to keep this situation extremely low as well as keep an eye out for Fumu and Bun: the two might be children, but they could be very sneaky.

With those two thoughts buzzing around in his head, it was almost impossible to sleep. So he tried to clear his mind, and kept reminding himself he needed to build up his energy to start repairing the starships in the morning. It seemed to do the trick, as Meta fell into a deep sleep in no more than half an hour later.

* * *

When Fumu walked back from Meta Knight's apartment, she couldn't help feel but a slight tinge of disappointment. Whenever she had asked Meta Knight about something, she always got a full answer. This was the first time it seemed as if he was hiding something from her. _What could Meta Knight be hiding that's so important that not even I'm allowed to know about it?_ Fumu thought. _I'm certain it's about Kirby, but what about him? What could be happening to Kirby that I couldn't possibly know about? What if it's something dangerous?_ She paused in her thinking, and mentally shook her head. _It can't be something dangerous: I'm the only person that can call Kirby's Warp Star- an object he only uses in emergencies._ Even with this thought in mind, Fumu didn't feel much better about it, and went home upset.

She was greeted by her little brother, who was wrapping up a show on TV. "Hey sis!" He called, "Did ya talk to Meta Knight?"

"Yea. He said everything's fine…" Fumu spoke in a mixture of uncertainty and sadness.

"If everything's fine, why are you so down about it?"

"I don't know...it just seemed as if Meta Knight was hiding something from me."

"...Maybe you're just being paranoid like you get sometimes." She shot him a glare, and he took it as a cue. "Well, I'm already up past my bedtime, so I'm gonna get some sleep. You should too, sis- you might feel better about this in the morning."

She nodded, and the two made their way into their beds.

Just as she was falling asleep, she saw her door open ajar. Her father poked his head in, and asked, "Are you still up, sweetie?"

"Yea." She replied while sitting up.

Sir Ebrum noticed his daughter looked gloomy, so he asked if anything was wrong.

"Well, earlier today, Kirby suddenly claimed he had to go see Meta Knight, and he just left Bun and me alone. It seemed suspicious, so I saw Meta Knight at his apartment tonight and asked if Kirby was okay. He said everything was fine, but dad, I don't think he was telling me the truth."

Sir Ebrum seemed surprised. "Oh? What makes you think that?"

"He just seemed to be dancing around his words, and he just told me he had called Kirby over to discuss 'specific matters.'"

"Well maybe they were talking about something Star Warrior related, or another topic that you don't have business knowing about. Just because Meta Knight didn't tell you exactly what his conversation with Kirby was about doesn't mean he was lying to you."

This made Fumu think in a different way, a better way. "...So you don't think he's lost trust in me or something?"

"Of course not! You've always been the go to girl when it comes to a dangerous situation, and you always will be."

Fumu smiled, and hugged her father. "Thanks, dad. I feel a lot better about this now."

Sir Ebrum smiled back, and helped tuck her in the covers. He then kissed her on the forehead, and ended their conversation with a piece of advice. "Don't worry about Meta Knight or Kirby, okay? I'd say it'd be best if you stay out of their business."

"You're right. Good night dad. Love you."

"Love you too, sweetie."

He left the room and shut the door behind him.

Meanwhile, Fumu was thinking of a plan on how to find out what was going on while drifting away into sleep. Even if Meta didn't lie to her, she was still going to find out what was going on, and nothing was going to stop her.

* * *

 **Fumu isn't planning something evil, I swear! She's just trying to be like a good mom or something, or maybe like that one kid that has to know everything? Either way, her intentions are good, so all is going to be okay.**

 **I feel like that last part doesn't really fit with the rest of the story...but it did help me arch into how Fumu is feeling, as well as shows you yet another factor that's come up. What did you guys think? Please don't be shy to leave me a review, or get in touch with me over PM! I'm not going to bite your head off if you leave a bad review, or one full of critique, so please let me know. As always, I thank you all for your support, and I hope you'll enjoy the future chapters!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Heyos, it's time to clobber that dere Kirbeh! Haha, just kidding- but I'm not kidding when I say this is the LONGEST chapter yet! I ended up breezing through this chapter, and I'm so excited to get the next one written out. I think I went on about certain slightly unnecessary details, but I was kinda trying to set the scene. I hope I did a decent job with it.^^;**

 **Recently, I've had no idea what to say here because I have nothing to say. (Surprising, am I right?!) So I guess for once in my life, I won't write a novel of author's notes, but instead just go into answering reviews and jumping right in the story!**

 **Kirbyfangirl- I know what you mean! I like reading about Nova in non-Robobot related fanfics, especially when it also involves Galacta Knight, you know? That's a shame those fanfics didn't turn out so great, but I'll make it a priority to make sure the quality of NMN doesn't drop. I actually decided to depict Fumu with the same perspective I had with her when I first watched the whole anime. Fun fact- I actually despised Fumu's character in the beginning, because I thought she was super annoying and such a smart alec. But as I got into Kirby more and more, I warmed up to her, and now I can say I like her a lot (Plus she's super fun to draw...) Thanks so much for the compliments, and I hope I don't let you down in the next chapter!**

 **Pure knight- Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter.^^**

 **CallieSizemore601- Heh, me either! (No seriously, I'm super excited to write the next chapter) I can't say anything just yet about Nova's debut, but I hope you'll enjoy it in the future! Thanks so much- I definitely provided for the demand for fluff!**

 **jellomagmortar- Dare accepted, and done. ;) Heh, I wonder if anyone'll actually notice... Don't worry about reviewing the wrong chapter: I do dumber stuff than that all the time! But really, thanks much for the compliment, and the video! (I've seen that video before actually, and I still crack up at it to this day, not gonna lie)**

 **Storytosee- Thank you! I wrote her with the perspective I had when I first got into Kirby and the anime. I actually didn't like her much from the start (I mentioned this above^) but I've grown to like her in the past year. (I know people are used to waiting around here, but I don't like keeping you guys waiting for too long. Still, I'm super appreciative of your patience!^^)**

* * *

He was stuck in a corner, with Fumu, Bun and Meta Knight blocking his exit. The two kids were up closer, and they looked angry. Meta Knight was further away, his eyes covered by the shadow of his mask. Kirby was trembling as his best friends took turns yelling at him.

"You're horrible! You kept secrets from us!" Fumu claimed.

"What kind of friend are you, if you don't tell us everything?!" Bun spat next.

"P-poyo!" Kirby tried to defend himself, only to realize he couldn't speak anymore than babbling. That fact alone was terrifying.

"Look! He's not even trying to explain himself!" Fumu pointed at him to Bun. This only made the brother more furious.

"Stop playing games with us, and give us a good reason why we should still stay friends with you!"

"Poyo poyo poy!" Kirby attempted to speak again, but had the same result. He had tears forming and falling from his eyes, and he knew he was helpless. But then, he realized his mentor was still in the background, staying silent from the beginning. He knew there was nothing he could say to change the children's minds, so he tried to call to his mentor for help.

"Kni kni." He said, voice wavering yet relieved he could still babble his first word.

The knight stayed silent for a moment, all while the kids grew angrier with each passing moment. Then finally, he spoke in an icy tone, with his eyes still not visible.

"Do you expect me to have your back this time too? You made the decision to hide secrets from your most trusted friends, not me. You told me not to speak about it. So why then should I speak now to justify for your actions? Because you thought it was the right thing to do?" The room suddenly turned cold, and Meta's tone even colder. "You can't even think like a Star Warrior. I'm not helping you out of this one: you're on your own. Maybe you'll learn your lesson on how to fix your own problems for once."

Kirby's heart dropped. From the very beginning, Meta Knight was always there for him. To help him grow, learn, escape...but now, he was suddenly throwing him to the wolves. He felt alone, pathetic and weak: without his father figure by his side, he was worthless. He had never felt such despair, and never wanted to leave a place as much as he did now.

It was as if his wish was suddenly granted. He had gone from the room filled with anger and hate, to an empty room with nothing in it but him. He was alone again, but it was almost comforting this time compared to before. He sniffed, trying to slow the speed of his tears. His paws hugged his body, and he breathed in and out to calm down. It was nice.

Until it wasn't. All at once, everything shot up in his face. Fumu and Bun screamed bloody murder, and Meta Knight had a familiar bloody Galaxia raised in the air. He was aiming right for the boy's heart.

* * *

"Kirby! Wake up! You're having another nightmare!"

Said child screamed as he woke up, and sat up instantly. He was shaking like in the dream, and there were tears down his cheeks. He looked at the person who had called to him from the side of his bed: Meta Knight. These nightmares were twisting his thoughts about him, and he hated it. Meta began rubbing the child's shoulder in hopes to comfort him. Even if the gesture was fake, Kirby didn't care, and outright sobbed in Meta's arms once again.

Moments passed with silence prevailing, save for Kirby's sobs, sniffs and coughs from sniffing too hard. Then finally, he seemed to calm down enough to speak. He needed help sorting his feelings out, and only Meta Knight could do it. He knew that his mentor would be honest with him always, even if that meant his feelings getting hurt a bit.

"Mena?" He murmured. It was quiet, but audible enough that the knight could hear. Meta didn't say anything, but he adjusted Kirby in his lap, so he was leaning comfortably against his arm and could see his eyes.

"...Mm I a disapontmen to you?"

Meta Knight shook his head, and his eyes glowed warmly. "Why would you be a disappointment to me?"

"Wew...I'm not stwong, and I can't even handuh my own pwoblems by mysef…"

A soft chuckle came from the parent. "I wouldn't expect you to handle your problems alone just yet. Just because you ask for help doesn't mean you're weak." He paused, growing serious. "After I met you for the first time, I made a promise that I'd always support you, and do whatever was best for you." He then remembered that moment...

* * *

 _Meta Knight was rocking the newborn in his arms, trying to lull him into sleep. He knew their time together would be short, and as much as it hurt him to go through with his plans, he knew it was the right thing to do in the end. He looked at the baby- his wide blue eyes were so innocent, despite everything. It was amazing, and always managed to bring a smile on his face._

" _I'm making a promise to you, little one. I'll always try my best to protect you, and make sure you never suffer like you did before."_

 _The baby only giggled, and put his paws on the knight's mask. Meta's eyes turned blue, but they faded as they looked up…_

* * *

Meta Knight was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Kirby yawn. "These nightmares are really affecting your sleep…" He said aloud, with his adopted son sadly nodding. The boy sighed, "But, I gotta get sleep anyway, so I should go back to bed." The knight smiled behind his mask, proud of how mature his boy had become, yet heartbroken that he was going through all of this. Nonetheless, he kept silent as he helped Kirby get resituated in bed, and patted his head.

"Don't worry, little one. We're going to get to the bottom of these bad dreams. In the meantime, you're being very strong with handling them- just like a true Star Warrior."

Those words touched Kirby's heart. He fell asleep with a glowing smile on his face, and Meta couldn't be anymore grateful for didn't want to leave the child alone in case of another nightmare, but he did need his sleep too. So he just sighed in a pleased manner, and quietly left for his own room.

As he lay in his bed, more memories of the past came to his mind. Recalling his promise to Kirby prompted him to think about the first time they met. It wasn't the best way to meet for sure, but Meta always believed it happened for a reason. He then began to think of the memories they shared together, and how they had fun for a little while. Now in a mindset full of happy moments, Meta Knight closed his eyes and slept peacefully.

* * *

The next day, the two puffballs got up early to go straight to work. It was easier to work during the early hours of the day, since the two didn't have to worry about Fumu or Bun spying. That, and Kirby couldn't sleep much because he said he had that dream about the ominous nothingness again. He said he thought he even heard breathing this time around. This put the knight on edge, but he didn't show it, and quickly made his way to the storage room with his student.

The storage room was actually a room hidden inside the waddle dee headquarters. Meta Knight came to know about this room from a waddle dee who used to work for the king before Dedede, but decided to join Meta Knight and his team later on. He never had a special name, but he had a special sailor hat, so he went by Sailor Dee. He would go on and on about hidden secrets in that old castle, and Meta Knight only fully appreciated them once he had landed on Popstar and had been taken in by the new and current king.

With Kirby following right by his side, he entered the quarters. It wasn't meal time, so only a few waddle dees were hanging around. When they saw Meta Knight, he gave them a nod. He had first established this code with the little creatures when he moved into the castle and told them about his ties with Sailor. They accepted him immediately afterward, and let him into the storage room whenever he so pleased.

When they walked in, Meta switched on an old light bulb that hung from the ceiling. When his student could see, his eyes widened at how much stuff was in the room, especially considering it was on the smaller scale. Meta's eyes flashed pink at Kirby's reaction, and explained. "The waddle dees have been keeping scraps of things for a long time, in case of emergencies." He moved to a particular pile located at the left corner of the room: though it was smaller than the others, its pieces seemed larger in size and more valuable. He continued, "They have been generous enough to let me keep some of my things here, such as our two starships. They also had let me know I was free to use anything from their piles. I had told them they were also allowed to use my things whenever, but they reassured me they wouldn't touch any of it, though the thought was very appreciated."

He pulled out the two starships in no time, and mused on where he was going to examine and fix them. _If I take them to the basement, it'll be easier since all of my tools are there. However, Fumu could wake up at any moment, and the secret would have to be spilled if she saw me hauling the ships around the castle. It wouldn't help if I tried to work right here, since I'd have to ask Kirby to fetch my tools from the basement. Fumu could easily catch him, and would definitely get suspicious as to why he'd bring such things into the waddle dee quarters._ Meta sighed. He decided the basement was a better option, because it was in a much more secretive location and outside the castle and Fumu's patrolling.

But that left the question as to how he'd get the ships safely into the basement, and do it under the radar. He concluded that he would need the help of the waddle dees to follow him with the second ship, but more people would only add to the suspicion. With a little more thinking, he realized he needed a distraction. He knew convincing the king to keep Fumu busy was definitely out, along with Escargoon. If he sent Kirby to suddenly play with them after running off so quickly yesterday, there was a chance she'd would catch onto the plan.

What about himself? It was definitely more suspicious than a visit from Kirby, but he was much better at stalling time. He also had a much less likely chance of slipping up compared to his young student. Not to mention he was notorious for mysteriously appearing out of nowhere, and leaving in a flash. So it was decided then- he'd create the distraction while Kirby and the waddle dees would take the ships quietly into the basement. He had gathered the child and the dees in the headquarters to tell them of the plan. The waddle dees knew how to get into the basement, so they'd bring the two starships there as quickly as they could without getting caught by the children. They had placed the ships into two separate boxes that looked like ordinary delivery packages and headed out. Meanwhile, Meta Knight began his walk to start his side of the mission.

Turned out his work was actually already done for him, as Fumu had woken up feeling groggy with a bad headache. When he knocked on the door to the Ebrum home, Memu opened the door and seemed surprised. "Oh, Sir Meta Knight! Might I ask why you're visiting out of the blue?"

"Greetings, Lady Memu. I apologize for the unexpected visit, but I came here to see Fumu. Have you seen her?"

Memu nodded, but looked a bit upset. "She woke up with a nasty headache, and hasn't been able to get out of bed this morning." She then sighed, and shook her head with a grin on her face. "She stayed up into the early hours of dawn, and now she's paying the price. I tell that girl she needs her sleep, but she doesn't listen, and then this happens." Memu turned to her guest at the door. "Fumu will be just fine, but she'll just be a little cranky all day due to exhaustion. Would you mind if your visit waited until tomorrow? I can tell her that you came to see her."

Meta Knight put up a hand. "Don't worry about telling her about this visit. The matter isn't very important, so I don't mind waiting. I appreciate you for your time, Lady Memu."

"Well I appreciate your visit, even if it was a bit unexpected. I apologize again for the inconvenience."

Just as Meta Knight was about to leave, he heard a voice call out to Memu. "Hey mom, who's at the door?" It turned out to be Bun, and he gave the elder puff the same surprised look he had received from Memu earlier. "Meta Knight? What are you doing here?"

"Bun, don't be rude!" His mother scolded him.

"I was actually here to tell Fumu something, but since she's not available, I was about to take my leave."

"Oh, okay. She said you were lying to her yesterday. Is that true?" This statement earned him a look from his mother that signaled a lecture later. It also threw the knight off guard for a moment. "Lying is the worst way to break someone's trust, as well as showing cowardice. I would never want to bring harm to you or Fumu."

Bun was waiting for a yes or no kind of answer, but he wasn't totally surprised that the knight gave him words of wisdom instead. So he nodded and ended their conversation with, "Well, I'm going to go back to playing my video games. See ya, Meta Knight."

"It was nice to see you again, Sir Meta Knight." Memu added, before shutting the door and grabbing her son to teach him some manners.

Meta Knight sighed inwardly in relief. He could take his mind off of possible spying children, because it was always Fumu that proposed the action. If she wasn't out snooping, Bun certainly wasn't doing it alone. Plus, he'd try to stay close to his sister while she was feeling under the weather, just in case she needed something. With his mind now fully focused on the next part of his mission, Meta wasted no time heading to the basement.

* * *

The basement wasn't like your average everyday basement. It was created by the first king of Popstar with the intentions of being some kind of volcano shelter for the citizens of the town, since the volcanoes on the planet were active from time to time. As time went on, the volcanoes all became inactive, and the shelter was abandoned.

There were two ways of getting into the basement. The first way would be from the throne room- there's a button that swivels the king's throne into a secret part of the wall, and then acts as an elevator going to the bottom floor. Nobody ever used this way except for his Majesty, but that's no surprise. The second way was through the fountain in the castle gardens. It looked and acted normally, but there was a detail about it that could easily go unnoticed. On the bottom appeared to be the drain, but it was instead a remote with only one button. If that button was pressed, the fountain would split into two, revealing a hidden staircase to the basement. This is how the citizens would escape into the shelter.

Kirby and the dees made their way towards the fountain, and down the hidden stairs. It was the child's first time down here, and he was awed at the sight. The area housed the Halberd, or Meta Knight's beloved battleship. Even with it parked here, there was still an an ample amount of workspace in which Meta kept endless blueprints, toolboxes and other handy instruments.

Kirby helped the dees unload the ships from the boxes, and thanked them for their help. They nodded in return, and headed out to get back to their duties at the castle. The child wasn't alone for long, as Meta Knight caught up to him a minute or so later.

"Mena!" He called. "Wok on sips nao?"

"Yes, Kirby, we're going to get started on the ships. I'm going to examine yours first- it seems to be in bad shape already, but I want to see if the damage is repairable. Just sit tight for a moment, okay? I promise you can help me in a little bit."

"Kay!" Kirby sat on a nearby stool like a good boy while he watched his mentor check his golden starship. The hood was lifted first, and Meta got a look at the engine. It looked pretty busted, and the model was one that couldn't be found on Popstar. He then tested the main controls. Well, he tried to. The wires must've been fried, as nothing would turn on. Even the outside emergency button found on the bottom of the ship that opened the top hatch didn't work.

After closing the hood, Meta sighed, and broke the news to Kirby. "It turns out your ship took more of a beating than I first thought. I won't be able to fix it, and we don't have time to construct another one."

Kirby looked worried. "Dos tat mean I wunt be abel ta see Nuvah?"

"Not at all, little one. It just means we're going to have to ride together in my starship. I'm going to check the engine, and see if I need to fix anything now."

So Kirby stayed put until his mentor was done examining the second ship. It was almost completely identical to his, but it was silver, and larger. Even though he was a little upset he wouldn't be able to ride his own ship, he was very happy that he was going to be with his mentor while they met Nova. He wouldn't have to be alone, and they could look at all the pretty stars together! He giggled in excitement, and his mentor's eyes turned blue at the sound.

The silver starship's engine was running smoothly, and all of the controls worked as well. However, a lot of the outside armor was damaged due to the contrast against the atmosphere as he first landed on Popstar. Normally Meta Knight would use more durable metal to begin with, but he had to make do with whatever he could find when he first made the ship. Luckily, fixing the external layer wasn't that hard of a job, and it wouldn't take too long either. He was no expert blacksmith, but he had taught himself enough to be able to get this task done.

He explained the situation to Kirby, who was eager and ready to help. "We should be able to get the ship ready for our expedition no later than a week. The faster we start, the quicker we'll be on our way to see Nova, so let's get right to it."

* * *

It ended up taking four days to fully repair the ship. Kirby would help Meta gather any items he needed, but he would take large breaks to see his friends, and keep them from wondering about his absences. The pink boy also ended up getting gas that Meta later on adjusted to make rocket fuel. He was questioned as to why he needed it, but the child only said he was running errands.

During these four days, Kirby had nightmares every night. They were starting to take their toll on him, as he dark circles appearing under his eyes, and his cheeks were losing their bright color. He had borrowed Memu's pink blush to conceal the circles, and his kept his lively demeanor so nobody would notice any changes in him. And thankfully nobody did, not even Fumu.

Meta Knight decided that they would wait until midnight to leave. Just in case Fumu or someone would happen to be up, he also decided that they'd wheel the ship into Whispy Woods, and leave from there. He didn't want to disturb the waddle dees this late at night, so he called Sword and Blade to help him.

Once they hauled the ship into the woods, the esquires saluted their knight. "I hope you have a safe trip to Nova, sir." Sword said. "Let us know what happens!" Blade added.

Meta Knight nodded. "Thank you. I'll let you know what she wants. Until then, I think it's time for you guys to go to bed. Good night- I'll see you tomorrow morning."

The two young men said their goodbyes, and promptly went home. This left Meta Knight and Kirby alone with the ship. Without any comments, the older of the two hopped in, and set up the controls. He then motioned Kirby to come close so he could lift him in, and the child obeyed. There was only one seat, so Meta placed him on his lap. Kirby was surprised his mentor would allow such close contact, but then again,what other choice did he have? He was excited, but restrained the urge to bounce around as he didn't want to hurt or annoy his mentor.

The top hatch was shut above their heads, seat belt was put on the best it could, and the ship lifted itself into the sky. Their destination to Nova was a-go, and they were both filled with anticipation.

* * *

 **I feel like it seemed rushed at the end...I swear for once, I didn't rush it. Alright, tell me what you think! You excited to see Nova? What do you think she'll be like? What do you think she wants from Kirby and Meta Knight? I love hearing your feedback, so fire away! Hopefully I'll see you all very soon, and before my birthday! (It's on the 25th, so 9 more days! Woo!)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heyy, I actually did something I said I'd do: I'm uploading this on my birthday! I don't technically turn a year older until another hour (I was born at 1:49 in the morning, and it's only 12:30) but who's being technical? So yea, there's that!^^**

 **I'm SO excited I finally get to describe what Nova's like, and what her story is! I'm currently working on drawing her, so if you'd like to see my take on Nova from this story, be sure to check out my deviantART! My username's the same as it is here, so you shouldn't have a problem finding it. The sketches are a WIP at the moment, but I hope to have it done sometime between this week and the following one.**

 **Lol I don't know why I'm even mentioning this, but I kept writing "pocket" as "potch" and I don't know why.**

 **I feel like this chapter gets dry, but I wanted to make things as clear as possible. Too bad explanations can be boring...I promise it'll pick up in the future chapter!**

 **Alrighty, that's just about it for the author's notes here. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **CallieSizemore601: I really had a fun time putting together Nova's character, and I hope you like what I did with her!**

 **Pure knight- Thank you! Also, I know I'm late, but Happy Birthday! I hope you had (or are having, if you're in a different time zone) a wonderful one, and I wish you only the best as you turn another age older.^^ I'd sing the Steven Universe birthday song for you if I could, haha.**

* * *

The trip from Popstar was easy, but each warrior was feeling anxious. Both didn't speak much because of it, but Meta Knight at least tried to make Kirby feel better by keeping him close and letting him grab onto the ends of his cape. The child was pretty exhausted too, so he seemed half-asleep while he leaned against the knight's infamous mask. The father figure didn't seem to mind, since this left the child calm and out of the way of managing the main controls.

It stayed quiet for a long time, until they finally broke out of the atmosphere. There, Kirby giggled softly, "We'we wif te staas, Mena." This statement touched the parent's heart, and his eyes turned a bright blue as he answered back, "Yes we are, little one." As his eyes faded back, his tone got a bit more serious. "We can stargaze later; now, we have to find Nova. She shouldn't be too hard to locate…"

Kirby nodded, wiped his tired eyes, and began his search for the goddess. He was looking vigorously, until he got distracted by a glowing light. This light looked like another one of the stars, but it was bigger and brighter. It was mesmerizing, and the child couldn't take his eyes off of it. Meta Knight was too busy in his search to notice the boy's staring. He did stop when he heard the child murmur, "Dad-dee…" His tone was distant, and dreamy.

"What's wrong, little one? Did you find her?" He asked, but his boy only pointed to the light. Meta was going to tell him that it was just another star, until the glow around it became stronger. As it grew bigger, it slowly became obvious that this light was transforming into something. The top of a pocket watch was seen first, then a golden weathervane with a large rooster on top, and eventually, the rest of the comet.

Neither puff spoke first, since Kirby was scared out of his wits and Meta Knight was too intimidated to make the first contact with such a powerful being.

"TWO STAR WARRIORS DETECTED. INITIATING CHANGE." A mechanical-like voice boomed. It was almost unnerving, but it left the visitors curious about what the comet meant by "change".

It became cloaked in the bright light like before, but this did not signify Nova leaving. Instead, the light seemed to condense, but what was happening was unknown, since the light was blinding. As the it began to fade ever so slowly, they began to make out the figure of a human woman, with her eyes closed and arms raised so her hands were crossed above her head. The light finally left as she lowered her arms gracefully, and her eyes opened. They were huge and sparkling blue, with hope and love clearly visible in them. They complimented her hair, which was such a light yellow it could be mistaken as white, and fell beautifully down to her waist. Her dress was a light lemony yellow, with the sleeves being too long and too wide, but still suited her nicely. The bottom of her dress had the print around the comet, and her shoes were little pink slippers. She had a pink shooting star clip in her hair, and a halo above her head that had the bottom half of a weathervane shooting from it. Her skin was fair, and she seemed to radiate brightly against the darkness of space.

The goddess gave the two puffs a reassuring and warm smile, and spoke with a sweet voice that sounded so much better than the voice they had heard before she transformed.

"Hello, Sir Meta Knight and Kirby. I thank you for taking time to see me. Might I ask if you come out of your ship to speak?" Before either could say anything, Kirby's warp star flew towards them, as if called on cue. The two exited their ship, and hopped onto the waiting star.

Nova smiled again. "That's more like it." She noticed her visitors were keeping quiet- she had also felt the fear through their auras. "Do not be afraid warriors! I'm not upset at you, nor am I looking to hurt you."

Their tension eased, and Kirby was the first one to speak. "So, you'we Nuvah?" She nodded rather enthusiastically, and let the child finish. "But...wewen't you a big comat? Hao did you cinge, poyo?"

She went into explaining, and talked a little fast. "Ah, well you see, I have two formes, or transformations. This is my goddess forme, or my real self. The first forme you saw was my pocket-watch forme, or the forme that I usually keep. As you know, I can grant wishes to people. However, I am only able to do so as a pocket-watch, or as a comet as you Dreamlanders call it. When I'm in this forme, I am neutral on sides, and I only work as a mechanical genie, in a sense. But really, as the real me, I am a good goddess who despises evil. I watch over the whole Gamble Galaxy to monitor evil throughout the planets. I also keep an eye on Nightmare."

Suddenly, her bright aura seemed to dim, and her happy demeanor grew serious.

"Lately, I have seen that he is growing in power. Normally, it would die down somewhere around this time, but it is only getting stronger. This is why you've been having horrible nightmares, Kirby." When she saw him blanch, she nodded. "Yes, I've been trying to keep you from Nightmare's reach, but it's only getting more difficult, I'm afraid."

All of a sudden, she seemed to perk up, and her eyes sparkled. "But there is a way to stop Nightmare! It can only be done so by the most innocent of Star Warriors, you see. I've been waiting for this "chosen one", and when I saw Kirby of the Stars for the first time, I had no doubts in my mind. You're definitely the one, my pink friend! You're the only mortal being I've ever been able to contact through dreams!"

Meta Knight was astonished at what he was hearing. "So, Kirby's the warrior said to be able to destroy Nightmare? But he's not a real Star Warrior."

Nova shook her head with a wholesome smile on her face. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure of that, if I were you." When the now confused knight said nothing, she continued. "Kirby was not born a Star Warrior. I know that, you know that. But, he _transformed_ into one from the power of love. Think about it: how do you think he regained his innocence after you took him under your wing?"

Meta was speechless. It took him a moment to take this all in, and, well, think about it. Finally, with some hesitance, he verified, "So, what you're saying is... _I_ am the reason Kirby's a true warrior, and _I_ am the reason why he's stayed happy for all these years?"

Nova nodded. "Exactly. You loved him so much like a son, that you gave him life...again. I know it sounds crazy or even bogus, but I don't speak falsely."

With everything she was saying, Meta Knight became more and more surprised, and his orange eyes kept getting brighter. "But...that's impossible!" He sputtered. " _I'm_ not even a real Star Warrior, and yet I made Kirby one? Forgive me if I sound rude, but that doesn't even make sense."

"I know, Meta Knight. I'm just as surprised as you! But, clearly, this child was meant to be our hero, and fate made him a hero." She chuckled. "I can't believe you never realized this yourself. I mean, didn't you ever notice Kirby's total change of behavior?"

The aged knight thought back, and did recall the first time Kirby laughed.

* * *

 _Since Meta Knight had found the baby, he could never be left alone, flinched easily, and cried often. He rarely smiled either. But this made Meta more determined to help this little infant have a brighter future. He loved to spend their time together reading and stargazing, and he even secretly hummed lullabies when he was extra fussy. Of course, he'll never admit to doing such a thing, but in his mind, he was glad he did it, since it always calmed the baby down._

 _One morning, as the little one was waking up, Meta had picked him up from the cradle, and began rocking him as usual. But this morning was different. As he looked into his favorite little blue eyes, he realized he had grown so close to this infant that he had grown a soft spot for him. Mornings had never felt so full of happiness before this baby stumbled into his life. His heart broke when he cried, and it felt torn whenever he had to leave him for GSA-related purposes._

 _As he thought about these thoughts while looking into the baby's eyes, he noticed they seemed to light up like never before. And then, a miracle happened: he smiled. The smile got wider and the eyes got brighter, and then, a little giggle was heard. It started off as moreso quiet, but it quickly turned into a full fit of laughter, surprising his caretaker and making him join in. He felt his eyes water from happiness, and he thanked Nova for blessing this little infant. He then gave him the name Kirby, since that's the name that was spelled out in the stars…_

* * *

"I guess I was too caught up to notice…" Meta murmured out loud, to which Nova gave another wide and sweet smile.

"Your son is the one who is said to be able to put an end to Nightmare and his reign!"

This statement scared the knight a little, as he was worried for Kirby's health and well-being against the universe's most horrible creature. Said pink puff, however, was nervous that he wouldn't be able to do all that was expected of him. He was only a child for stars' sake!

"Nuvah, wat ef I can't detwoy Ninmere?" He asked the goddess who never seemed to stop smiling.

"I'm glad you asked, Kirby! See, you won't be alone in this fight." She paused for a moment, smile twisting into a mischievous grin, "I'm going to give you an advantage that'll guarantee your success in your fight with Nightmare."

The light around her dimmed, and her eyes closed, but the grin stayed. It now seemed creepy, and sent chills down the child's spine. "Hidden in the planets of the Gamble Galaxy are special star shaped stones that emulate the colors of the rainbow. They're all hidden in chests that match the color they give off. If you collect all of them, you will have the power to summon Comet NOVA, and thus be granted a wish. There are 7 in total- if you are missing just one, no wishes shall be made."

Her eyes opened halfway, showing the two that they had turned darker in color. "So what do you say?"

Kirby and Meta Knight gave each other one glance. Then Kirby nodded and told the goddess, "We'll do it."

With the right answer said, Nova opened her eyes all the way, and the lights brightened up as they had before. Her dark grin was replaced with her classic amiable smile, and she hummed in approval. Then before her poofed a scroll carefully tied with golden ribbon. She moved her hand forward, as to slide the scroll to the duo. "Not every planet in this galaxy has these stones. This map will lead you only to the planets in which you'll want to visit. Their names are Floria, Aquarius, Skyhigh, Hotbeat, Cavius, Mekkai, and Halfmoon." With each planet she named, they highlighted themselves on the map as their name was called. She continued, "You do not have a time limit, but the longer you wait, the longer Nightmare will haunt you. I can try my best to block out his nightmare signals, but I can't fully protect you."

Meta Knight rolled up the map, and placed it in his dimensional cape. "Thank you for everything, Nova. We'll collect those stones as soon as we can." He then took hold of his boy's hand. "It's time to go, little one. We don't want to head back too late." Kirby nodded, and yawned. "Bye bye, Nuvah." He said, now drowsy and hurrying back into the ship with his mentor. As they started the engines to go home, Nova smiled and waved. "Farewell, Star Warriors. May your travels be safe." She then began to fade away, like light dissolving into space.

* * *

The next morning, Kirby woke up and found his mentor showing the map to his esquires, along with some kind of blueprint. When Meta noticed him walk in, he greeted the little fellow. "Good afternoon, Kirby. Did you sleep alright last night?"

"Yea, I swep okie. Wat er you guys doeng?"

"We were just going over preparations for our trip across the planets of the Gamble Galaxy. I showed Sword and Blade the map, and we're seeing which order to go to get the stones in the shortest time possible."

"It looks like you'll have to start at Floria, since it's the closest planet to Popstar." Blade piped up.

Sword just sighed. "It's a shame you aren't going to the Star Planets. They're really beautiful, and each one has their own special charm."

Kirby looked confused. "Staa Pwanets?" He asked.

The older of the esquires nodded. "Yes. Popstar is located in two solar systems. There's the Main Planets, or the ones you'll be going to, and the Star Planets. These include Rock Star, Shiver Star, Neo Star, and Ripple Star."

Meta Knight was studying a book while Sword explained the planets to Kirby, and finally spoke up after he was finished. "I think we're going to use the Halberd for this trip. It has more than enough space for cargo, and it won't have a problem with breaking through multiple atmospheres."

"You have a point, but who's gonna make up your crew?" Blade asked. "If Sword and I go, the town's vulnerable to Nightmare's attacks, and it doesn't help he's stronger, as Nova said."

"I did intend for you to come along with us, so I already informed the GSA that we needed backup here. They said they'll have soldiers arrive by tomorrow. So this means we only have today to load the ship, and inform the Ebrum family of our departure."

"Then we'll get right to it, sir." Sword saluted. "Let Blade and I start packing things into the ship. We'll bring Kirby too, so he'll get adapted to it faster."

Meta Knight didn't intend for his youngest student to join his others, but it didn't seem like a bad idea to have the him help out. "Alright. I'll go inform the Ebrum family now, and catch up with you to help load."

"Sir, yes sir!" Both esquires said simultaneously, hands in a saluting position. Kirby seemed confused, but mimicked the gesture, and got a chuckle out of his mentor. The two groups split their separate ways to get straight to work.

* * *

"You're leaving?!" Fumu and the rest of her family were shocked. The young girl couldn't contain herself. "But...but why?! Are you going away forever?!" Her brother murmured right next to her, "Calm down, sis. You're being a bit overdramatic."

They were all seated around the dining room table in the Ebrum penthouse, with Meta Knight at the end, the parents on the left side, and the siblings on the right. Meta Knight didn't hesitate to answer the girl' questions.

"We got called by the GSA to attend to matters. It's not a permanent leave; however, I do not know how long it will take."

"Are you going on a dangerous mission?" Bun asked, always excited to hear about a new, wild adventure.

"There may be some danger present, but I don't believe it will be anything too serious."

"When will you be leave?" Sir Ebrum inquired.

"We have to depart tomorrow. It's an urgent call, and we can't keep the GSA waiting."

"Tomorrow? That's so soon!" Lady Memu exclaimed. "But, I guess duty calls. I hope you'll be safe, and complete your missions as quickly as you can."

Meta nodded. "I'm not going to inform the king about my leave of absence, as I don't believe he needs to be involved with this. I ask that you don't inform him either."

"Of course. I never really liked the king anyway." The mother claimed, speaking for the rest of her family.

Meta Knight got up from his seat, and wrapped his cape around him. "I thank you all for your time, but I must be going to help Sword and Blade load the Halberd."

He stepped out of the room, had his hand on the doorknob, and was exiting the penthouse. "Wait." But he was stopped by the girl, who seemed to stay silent after her moment of slight hysteria when he first arrived.

"Can I say goodbye to Kirby before you leave? Since it'll be awhile until I see him again…"

Meta Knight knew that Fumu saw and treated Kirby like he was her baby brother, and he knew they had a very close bond. "Kirby wouldn't leave without a last goodbye, I assure you. We'll be in the castle gardens tomorrow morning, so I hope you'll come for his sake."

"Mhm. Thank you, Sir Meta Knight." She hesitated for a moment, but then spoke up. "Do you, um, need help packing things into your ship? Bun and I could help, if you want."

He shook his head. "I think we're good, but I appreciate your offer."

Fumu smiled. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodbye."

"Farewell." He nodded, and made his way towards the Halberd.

* * *

The day seemed to go by very quickly for the 4. They never stopped in their work until the sun had gone down, and the moon was out. Once they finished loading and checking the engines and whatnot, Meta Knight double checked that everything was ready to go. They did such an excellent job, nothing was out of place in the slightest.

When morning came around, the teacher and his students woke up and waited for the GSA soldiers to arrive and take their spots as defenders of Dreamland. While they did so, Sword and Blade rechecked the engines, and an expected visitor came to the area. She came alone, but that was also expected. Meta Knight had waited outside for her, and waved when she came into view.

"Good morning Fumu."

"Morning to you too, Sir Meta Knight." The girl greeted politely. "Are you ready to go?"

"We're just waiting for confirmation from the GSA. When they give us the okay, we'll be heading out."

"Oh, I see." An awkward silence swept past them, until Sword came running out of the ship.

"Sir Arthur is on the line, sir." He announced.

Meta Knight nodded to him, and then turned back to Fumu. "Sir Arthur is the head of the GSA, so I have to take this. Until then, there's somebody that wanted to see you."

Saying no more, the blue puff walked towards the ship, and out came a high-spirited pink puff. "Fumu!" He cried, and ran into said girl's arms.

"Hi, Kirby! It's been a few days since I've seen you-" Her positive attitude then dropped within the next half of her statement, "-and now, it'll be a long time until I see you again…"

Kirby sighed sadly. He hated seeing his friend so down like this. Trying his best to comfort her, he patted her shoulder. "It weel be okie. Em not leevng foewur. I'll be bak soon." He then came up with a great thought. "Wen we come bak, we kin throw a Wecom Hume paaty!"

Fumu giggled softly. "That sounds like a great idea. I'll try to invite all of our friends, both from the town, and in the forest."

It then got quiet again, but Fumu spilled out her concerns to Kirby, to feel better and to break the dreaded silence. "Just...be safe, okay? I don't know where you're going, but I know it might be dangerous. Make sure you're around Meta Knight always, stay away from any wild fruits you're unfamiliar with, and get a good amount of sleep." (Kirby inwardly flinched at that last piece of advice)

Meta Knight reappeared at the outside of the gate- it was the signal that it was time to go. Kirby and Fumu both knew that. The latter sighed with a smile. "Well, I'll see you soon, Kirby. I'm gonna miss you."

They both hugged one more time, and as Kirby headed back, Fumu waved and called out, "If you have any way to contact me, please do so! Have fun, if you can!"

The door shut, and the engines went on. The grand Halberd lifted itself off the ground, and flew towards the direction of space.

Their first destination: Floria.

* * *

 **If you haven't noticed, I'm basing the main core of this story on Milky Way Wishes from Kirby Super Star/Super Star Ultra. Now, I have an excuse to go back and restart that game, so I can get a feel for all the planets! I even got the planet names from the game, and I decided to get creative with the whole solar system thing.**

 **But anyways, are you liking it so far? Did the story get a little dry? (sorry in advance...^^; ) Your feedback is always super appreciated, and I love hearing what you have to say, so review away! Thank you!^^**


	7. Chapter 7

**I SWEAR I'M NOT DEAD YET! I'm SO SO sorry for being inactive with updating around here: I mentioned it on my dA, but I took a week's hiatus around the first week of September, and it's just been slow writing from there. BUT now that I'm finally in the swing of things, I'll be quicker to update again. And I won't take anymore unexpected hiatuses either: everything will be planned out and I'll let you anything know in advance. I hope you're not mad at me...^^;**

 **Soo yea, we're here now on our first planet in the Gamble Galaxy, Floria! My references will be 99% coming from KSS/KSSU, but of course, you can leave it to me throw in some curveballs now and then haha.**

 **QUICK TIP FOR READING: When I refer to Nova, I'm talking about her human-like forme, while NOVA refers to the forme canon to the games. So no, I'm not just using those terms interchangeably.**

 **Okay, I think I said all that needed to be said. Happy reading!**

 **Pure Knight- Thank you!^^**

 **CallieSizemore601- Oh, that's so great to hear. If it does get dry though, don't be afraid to let me know, okay? I'll try to spice things up as much as I can. And thank you! I know your NOVA portrayal differs from mine, but gosh, I love your version too! It's good you know the bosses to each level: I'll keep it at that ;)**

 **Kirbyfangirl- I'm so glad you liked Nova like that! (I actually had to go back and play Milky Way Wishes to make sure my references made sense! It's so good, but Floria's a bit of a pain in the rear...and even harder to write about!) Also, thank you!**

 **Storytosee- A quest it is, my friend! I hope it's as amazing at it sounds: if not, let me know, and I'll try to make it meet up to standards. :D**

 **jellomagmortar- I know right? At least Hotbeat's easier to go through than the Great Cave Offensive! But the seasons were kinda difficult to write about, so I hope I did a decent job portraying them! Thank you so much!**

* * *

The trip to Floria didn't take very long. The Halberd went smooth sailing throughout the whole ride on auto-pilot, with Meta Knight staying in the main control room just in case. Normally, he'd be alone in this room, which he didn't mind, but he wasn't this time. A little pink boy was running around the room, still so excited to be in space and traveling to a whole new planet. It was surprising to the knight how much energy this child had, given the sleep deprivation for the last week or two. _Must be his adrenaline kicking in,_ Meta thought. _I should calm him down a bit before he crashes and burns. Not to mention his behavior is starting to give me a bit of a headache._

"Kirby? Can you come over here please?" He called, smiling at the cute expression of surprise the child gave when he heard his name. Said puff toddled happily over, curious to find out what his mentor wanted.

Meta was sitting in the chair facing the keyboard for the main controls. He motioned the child to come close enough to him, and then proceeded to pick him up and place him in his lap. In front of them was a large screen that currently had a bright map-like grid glowing against a black screen.

"Remember when we went to visit NOVA, I said we didn't have time to stargaze?" The child pondered a bit on the question, and then nodded.

"Well, we do now, and the galaxy is even more beautiful outside of Popstar's orbit. I'm going to show you." And with the click of a button or two, the grid on the screen disappeared, appearing instead a live take of space.

The child's eyes widened, making his mentor chuckle a bit. "Along with motion detectors, there are cameras built on the sides of the Halberd. So if the detectors picked up something, I could easily check the cameras for any suspicious objects or beings. Or, in this case, just use them for the view." Meta Knight explained to his boy, but it was as good as explaining this stuff to himself.

Kirby was awestruck- he'd never seen such a beautiful view! He always loved stargazing above his little dome home, but this was something else. To be with the shooting stars he'd always dreamt of joining, it was a dream come true. In fact, it was beyond his dreams, since he was with his beloved father. And they both were enjoying the view.

They stargazed throughout the whole trip, until a notification popped up on the screen, informing Meta Knight that they had reached their destination. He immediately called Sword and Blade over the ship's speakers, telling them to prepare themselves for the landing.

* * *

From a satellite view, Floria looked almost divided into 4 squares. When they landed on the planet, green grass and a warm summer sun greeted them. Anybody would've thought they arrived back on Popstar by the look of it. Even the animals were friendly and sweet, though they were colored differently. The only real thing that was missing to the planet was a castle upon a hill in the distance, housing a tyrant penguin and a family of four.

Kirby jumped down from the ship, and looked around in awe. Meta Knight wasn't as excited as the child next to him, who seemed to be fully amazed at the similarities already mentioned. After taking a minute or two to breathe in the air, they immediately began to start their journey in getting their first key to unlocking NOVA's power. Sword and Blade had agreed that they would stay back and guard the Halberd, along for checking for any damage that could be repaired.

As they began to walk, they noticed that the weather and surroundings around them gradually changed from summer to autumn. It wasn't like how other planets typically changed seasons, but Meta knew Floria was strange like this. Kirby, on the other hand, did not, and became confused as leaves crunched under his little red feet. He also felt the temperature beginning to drop, and he was afraid something was seriously wrong. He gently tugged on his mentor's cape,

"Dad-dee?" Meta stopped walking, and faced him, while placing a hand on his shoulder. "Whye is it faa nao?"

Meta chuckled a bit. "Floria may look like Popstar, but the two are very different. You see, this planet is cut up into 4 parts of land, and each part represents a season. So instead of having the seasons change all year round, each land stays the same and keeps a special balance throughout the whole planet. I know it sounds strange, but that's just how it works."

After that was cleared up, Kirby stopped worrying, and began to stare in awe his new autumnal surroundings. The only few creatures that were around were green chickens and pastel purple frogs, and they seemed harmless. Every once in awhile, they'd be viewed with suspicion by the inhabitants, but nothing tried to attack them.

Walking through each season ended up not being such a walk in the park. The duo got lost a few times, and they often stopped for breaks so they could catch their bearings. From every tree in this area dropped many leaves, and one of their stops was around many trees. There was such an abundance of leaves that Kirby couldn't even tell where the ground was! It gave him an idea though.

* * *

Meta Knight had his back against a strong oak tree, and was about to rest his eyes when he saw his student making an...interesting face. It was full of mischief, but Meta Knight knew better that it was morso playful mischievousness. He decided to wait a bit and see what this child was up to before he asked himself.

Kirby backed up a few careful steps, until he was a good few feet away from where he first started, waited a few seconds, and then took off in a sprint back to his mentor with a war cry. Before he could collide with Meta, he took a leap that even Olympic winning gymnasts would be proud of, and screamed, ¨CANAN BOLL!¨ Leaves flew everywhere.

Once Meta Knight finally got all the leaves out of the visor of his mask, any irritation he had died off once he got a glimpse of his student. The boy was laughing uncontrollably on the ground, and was even more of a leafy mess than his mentor. Meta´s eyes flashed blue at the sight: he was so happy to see his son giggling and having a blast like this, especially since the past few weeks have been pretty rotten for him.

The blue faded away as Meta Knight approached Kirby, who was finally settling down some. ¨Having fun, little one? I´m afraid to say that it's time for us to keep on going- the sun will set soon, so we need to find a place to stay for the night. A forest isn't a good idea to hang around during the night, especially when you don´t know how hostile the animals get, if they do to begin with.¨

Kirby nodded in agreement, and give his mentor a paw so he could be lifted off the ground. Once on his feet, the two continued walking. Now that the sun wasn't so high up in the sky, it was cool enough that they didn't need to take so many breaks, and they could enjoy their brisk walk together. They kept the walk silent for the most part, but it was a comfortable silence: there was simply nothing to be said. Well, that was until Kirby suddenly thought of a question.

"Mena? Wat ah we wooking foe aneway?"

"Well, there's no way we'll be able to find the stone by tonight, so we should begin to look for some kind of shelter we can stay at until tomorrow. Frankly, we need to find any place where we can sleep securely. So for instance, a cave wouldn't be a bad idea, as long as we check it out first. Wouldn't want to disturb any inhabitants or stir up unnecessary trouble."

"Ah, okie. I'll wook foe a cave ten." The child grew determined to find the specific place of shelter; not only did he want to please his mentor, but he was growing tired and wanted to call it a night soon.

* * *

The sun had given off its last rays of light, and the two puffs were _still_ trying to find a place to stop. They had found a cave not too long ago, but in it was a family of gators living there, and they were clear about their opinions of guests in their home. The two were getting very tired of walking, especially the younger one. It was taking all inside him not to complain out loud about his discomfort, and it was also getting equally difficult to keep up with his mentor's pace. He felt his feet get heavier and heavier, and his eyelids drooped, halfway opened by the last of his sheer will.

Meta Knight noticed Kirby's movements become increasingly more sluggish with every step he took, and he knew this child wasn't going to last for much longer. He waited for his student to catch up to him, and then picked him up to carry him for the rest of their journey.

It was getting increasingly harder to find shelter, since there the moonlight was dim. Meta Knight was still going, and wasn't going to stop until he found this source of shelter he'd been hunting after all night. He was so focused on his mission that he didn't notice a pair of Birdon hovering him in the air. They seemed to be concerned about the wanderers, so after realizing that they weren't going to find somewhere to stop on their own, the birds flew down right in front of Meta Knight.

* * *

Said blue puff was not only getting more exhausted as it got darker, but also more worried for their safety. He could fight any monster if need be for the both of them, but Kirby was defenseless, and pretty much free bait if he were silently kidnapped. The older of the two was almost wishing for a miracle, and by warp stars did he get one.

Two Birdon flew right in front of the path he was walking. Meta almost crashed right into them, since he was both distracted and very tired. Instincts kicked in, so his guard went up, and he got himself into the best defensive stance he could with Kirby in his arms. He waited for them to make the first move, but they didn't do anything. After a minute of standing still, Meta's guard dropped somewhat, and the Birdon finally squawked at them, all while moving their wings in a way that signaled them to follow them. Though reluctant to do so, the older puff eventually gave in, since he figured he had no other choice, and anything was better than spending anymore time in this dark forest.

The birds lead them to a hidden cabin. It didn't look like it was intended to be secretly build within the forest, but instead it was abandoned for so long, the negligence towards its keeping was finally taking its toll. Though hard to see, it looked just like an ordinary log cabin, with an insulated interior. A fireplace was backed against the opposite wall, with soot taking over the chimney, but the wood inside looking burnable. A quaint area rug was in the center of the one-story shelter, and its multiple colors gave the room life. There was no furniture, other than the lone log loveseat with cushions displaying tribal-looking patterns, and a humble side table with an oil lamp placed on it.

As Meta Knight stepped in, the first thing he did was take a minute to scan the room for any signs of traps. After a moment to decide it was safe, he put the sleeping child down on the couch and covered him with a blanket that was conveniently placed over the cushions. It wasn't long until he got the fire started at the fireplace. Once the room was lit, he realized the Birdon pair had yellow, almost golden feathers, instead of their usual pink. Their eyes were also a light crystalline blue, instead of the usual dark sapphire.

Meta Knight realized right there what was going on, and he gave a brief bow to the birds in gratitude. Their eyes seemed to smile as he did so. With their job of protecting the two puffs complete, they were about to be on their way, when a whimper stopped all of them in their tracks. A rustle was heard, and the 3 adults in the room whipped their heads toward the source of the noise.

Meta's heart dropped as he saw Kirby's face grimace in his sleep- this was another nightmare, and the first to occur off their home planet. Moving quickly to his side, Meta felt his paternal instincts kick in, as he placed a hand on his shoulder, as if faintly nudging the child to wake up. But it did nothing but make the situation worse, as Kirby began kicking frantically from under the blanket. He also began to scream and wail, and pound his paws on his head: actions he's never done before. Meta was growing more worried, since his reach to the child from the outside world wasn't helping things the way it had before. Even the two Birdon looked distressed just seeing the child like this.

Finally after his loudest shout, Kirby jolted awake, paws flug in the air and tears forming at the ends of his eyes. He was a nice shade of pale pink, and he couldn't stop shaking. He seemed to still be somewhat in a daze, because he flinched badly when Meta Knight placed his hand back on his shoulder. But this reflex brought him back to reality, and when the boy caught glimpse of his father's eyes, he said in a sad tone and equally quivering voice, "Mena…"

He didn't even hesitate to throw himself in those familiar gloved hands that rubbed his back and let him let it all out. Kirby was so focused on his crying, he didn't even notice the golden Birdon staring at him with empathetic eyes. And it wasn't until he finally opened his watery eyes that he saw them, but he huddled further into his caretaker all while grabbing his cape with an impressive force. Meta sighed, and calmed Kirby down.

"It's alright, little one. These are Birdon, and they won't hurt you. In fact, if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have found shelter, so why not thank them?"

With hesitance, Kirby loosened his grip on his mentor's cape, until finally giving it up, and made his first step in the direction of the waiting Birdon. Once in paws' reach, Kirby slowly made an attempt to gently touch the one on the left's feathers. It stayed completely still as the little boy felt the wing. Kirby was surprised at how soft and fluffy it ended up being, and then reached out to feel the other's wing, to realize both sets of golden feathers were alike in texture.

Now more comfortable, Kirby stroked both of the Birdon's wings, and said in a cute tone, "Tank yu fur heppeng us." In response, the birds nuzzled the boy on either side, and that made him giggle, given how ticklish he was. Their eyes sparkled in joy, and their beaks were curved upwards like a smile. Now knowing the child was okay, they let out a low squawk of goodbyes, and left to fly into the night.

"Pwetty biwds…" Kirby murmured as he watch the Birdon fly away ever so gracefully. He then yawned, and turned back to his waiting teacher. "I wan...fwy...like tuh…" He didn't even finish his sentence before he was fast asleep in his teacher's arms again. He was wrapped cozily back in his blanket, and put back on the couch. Though the loveseat clearly had two cushions like a loveseat should, the cushions were huge, as if built for a larger species. It gave the puffs an advantage in that Meta had enough room to sleep on the opposite cushion to Kirby.

* * *

Neither one of them got up until the rising sun shone through the windows. Meta was the first of them to open his eyes, and he blinked around the room with a familiar blurred vision that would pass after a few moments of waking up. He first made sure Kirby was still on the couch with him- a task that was fairly easy to do, since the pink skin contrasted heavily with the brown colors of both the loveseat and the blanket he was wrapped in.

He then scanned the room for any signs of traces of creatures coming into stalk them in their sleep. No footprints made of soot or scratches in the wood walls and floors were found, assuring him they really did stay at a safe shelter for the night.

Hopping off the cushion, Meta then turned to his boy, who was still sleeping with his paws gently hugging the end of his blanket. Seeing him so peaceful and finally getting the slumber he needed for so long now made the blue puff reluctant and guilty for prodding him to open his eyes. But as much as he didn't want to wake him, Meta knew they had to get going into the next season before darkness loomed over again.

After debating in his head for some time, he decided he'd just carry Kirby until he woke up. That way, the boy would get a little more sleep in, and they'd get to their next point in time too. It was a win-win for everyone.

Kirby had always been a heavy sleeper for the most part, so Meta Knight had no problem carefully taking the blanket off of him, folding it back just the way it was found, and gathering him into his arms to be held. With one last glance around the shelter to make sure they weren't forgetting anything, Meta shut the cabin door, and headed forth.

* * *

Kirby woke up to air that seemed chillier than he'd remembered it being the night before. He then realized the wind was blowing in his face- a sign that indicated he was in motion. But...how? That's when he realized he saw the back of his mentor's shoes going back and forth. He knew right then and there what was going on, and felt a little guilty for not waking up in time to walk himself. He made sure to let his mentor know he was awake now.

"Mena…" His feeble voice murmured, brittle from just waking up not too long ago.

Walking got slower, and then stopped for a voice. "...Kirby? Are you up?"

"Yis. I can waak with yu nao."

Meta Knight placed him on a layer of fallen leaves that crunched under his lightweight little feet. He smiled from under his mask, "Let's go then, shall we?"

And the two walked on to their next stop in the next season, hands held together in determination.

* * *

 **I used "determination" twice...I swear I'm not Undertale trash! I never even played the game, though I'm looking into doing so. ANYWAYS, let me know what you think, and I'll see you guys hopefully in a week or two! Adios, mis amigos!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay let me take this time now to say I'M NOT DEAD AND NEITHER IS THIS STORY! I didn't realize it's been about almost 2 months since I last updated this story... I got caught up in school and drawing, and then when I finally decided it was time to work on this, well, I hit a small writer's block. Of course. So yea, there's my excuses.**

 **I'm going to keep this part of the author's notes fairly brief, as I'm sure you're dying to get right into the next chapter. As for updating schedules, I don't really have one made up, but I'm hoping to get the next chapter out by...let's say Christmas. We could get it in 2 weeks, or on December 24- I'm so inconsistent in everything I do, anything's possible!**

 **We're halfway through Floria! Gosh, I didn't think one planet could take up so many fudging chapters, but it's a very complex planet, so I guess exceptions have to be made. I wonder how many it'll take for the other planets...? (It's a rhetorical statement- not even I know, to be perfectly honest)**

 **Okay, I won't hold you back any longer. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **CallieSizemore601- Indeedios they shall be! (Thank you so much! That's me, Fluff Queen for you haha!)**

 **Pure knight- Thank you much! I'm so glad you like all the fluff I throw in^^ (I mean, I'm not fluent, but yea, I do know enough Spanish to hold a decent conversation. I guess it is pretty cool!)**

 **Swifty Scopee- Thank you! I'll try to write as much as I can! I try to fit in a few paragraphs a week (usually in my creative writing class), so I'll keep it up!^^**

 **jellomagmortar- Yea I know, I just feel bad when I don't update after awhile, that's all.^^; At least I'm not abandoning anything anytime soon!**

* * *

As the two continued walking to their destination, the temperature began to drop, and more trees were becoming bare. When fallen leaves were replaced with thin, barely sticking snow, Meta Knight stopped, and signaled Kirby to do the same. Before the latter could ask what was going on, he saw his mentor pull something out of his dimensional cape. It looked like...clothing? The elder noticed his boy's confused expression, and explained everything.

"You've probably noticed that it started to get colder- that's because we're heading into the winter section of Floria. It is a land covered with unending snow and always has freezing or below freezing temperatures. Because you've only known Popstar's hot summers, you're most likely not going to handle these extremes well. There's no need to be alarmed, however- I have packed a coat and accessories that will help you from getting hypothermia or frostbite. Come over here, and I'll put these things on you."

So Kirby quickly walked over to Meta, and stood still like a good boy so he could be fitted into his clothes as easily as possible. The coat looked like a puffy marshmallow, as it was thick to withstand the upcoming blizzards. The scarf was a magenta color and was as fluffy as it was heavy, and wrapped securely around Kirby's torso, covering his mouth too. Next came the boots; if Kirby walked in the snow barefoot, he would almost certainly get frostbite. After they were laced tightly, mittens were slipped on either of his hands- they were specially made for him, as there were no thumb holes. For the finishing touch, the hood of the coat was pulled up, ensuring the back and top of the child's head wouldn't be exposed to the cold winds.

Kirby looked like an Eskimo, and Meta Knight couldn't help but smile under his mask- the boy was adorable.

He gave a smile, and chirped from under the scarf, "Ah'm weddy to go! Cahm on!"

With a nod, Meta began walking again, with the bundled child following him.

* * *

The veteran wasn't kidding when he said "freezing temperatures". He was used to this weather, as he was taught how to tolerate it during the war, but Kirby was the exact opposite. Even with all of his layers and heavy clothing, he was still shivering and struggling to keep warm. He usually loved playing in the snow, but even thinking about rolling around in it now made him lose body heat. He was starting to fall behind too, as the strong icy winds made it difficult to breathe. The extra weight of the thicker outerwear didn't help his case very much either.

"M-mena…" He whimpered, voice barely audible over the screaming roars of the wind.

He was afraid his mentor wouldn't be able to hear him, but much to his surprise (and relief), he was almost instantly scooped up by a pair of familiar gloved hands. One of them opened up the folds of the familiar blue cape, and the other- currently wrapped around his little covered torso- tucked him into the depths of the cape. After the little one was secure and his mentor had a firm grip to keep him in place, he continued on to keep their journey moving along for the day.

Though he was still cold, Kirby felt much warmer bundled under his mentor's heavy cape. He felt bad that he had to be carried through the snow, but then again, it was just so comforting, and he was finally gaining some of his own body heat back. To show his gratitude, he leaned in against his mentor's mask. It felt like solid ice, so he lifted his cheek as a reflex. After getting over the shock, he leaned in again, this time slowly letting his skin feel the frigid metal and eventually relish the feeling. Being in such a relaxed position prompted him to fall asleep, especially since he didn't get a good night's sleep yet again last night.

So within minutes, Kirby was out like a light, not to his mentor's surprise.

Meta Knight happened to wake up periodically the night before, so every time he was up again, he always checked on his little boy. He took note that although Kirby never got up, he seemed to be in a restless sleep. Unlike nightmares, where he would be violently thrashing around and screaming, he was instead constantly shifting in the blanket he was bundled in, and only had a frown on his face, all while making no noise. In this type of sleep, Meta couldn't wake Kirby up, since he was getting some kind of rest. It may have not been much, but every little amount counted, especially since these nightmares ebbed away at his overall energy.

It relieved him that Kirby was sleeping now, rather than being annoyed at it. Usually, Meta Knight wasn't one to encourage naps, but he made exceptions for this case. He knew what it was like to be plagued with bad dreams from night to night- Nightmare used to torture him at one point too. But the worst his dreams ever made him do was wake up with a loud gasp- never did he wake up screaming or sobbing like this poor little child!

It broke his heart to see his boy all pale in the face and teary-eyed, all while hearing him scream. His cries tore at Meta's heart too- these nightmares pained the elder almost as much as they did the toddler. He felt guilty during these times, thinking it was his fault his boy was going through this. Just because he set the "trend" first, Nightmare was out to break him. It might've taken many years until he could do so, but he finally found the knight's weakness.

He wished he could've been the chosen one to defeat Nightmare, but sadly, he wasn't. When he first realized this one was Kirby, he was overcome with a mix of different emotions. He still remembered very clearly how he felt at that moment…

* * *

 _After seeing the stars in the infant's eyes, Meta Knight gasped. He was absolutely certain this little one in his arms was the chosen one- the Legend of the Stars, as most referred it to as. He could feel Kirby's happiness and joy surround him, and he couldn't help but be overtaken by it. It was contagious, almost intoxicating. It brought him to tear up a little, and hold the baby closer to him. Kirby squealed in content, bringing Meta Knight to look into his eyes for a second time. But as he focused on those tiny, glimmering stars, he couldn't help but worry. He knew with such a blessing, this baby would be expected to do extraordinary things in his life. Meta knew he would have to stop someone as powerful as Nightmare, and also knew he'd be through a lot of pain and suffering while helping the others who counted on him. He wanted to hide him at that moment, never let him know about himself in this way, and raise him as any other parent would for their average, everyday child._

 _But that would be selfish. And he knew better than that._

 _Knowing he'd have to see this now giggling face full of tears, scrapes and scars made him tear up yet again. He shook his head, and promised the infant, who was now looking back at him with wide, almost concerned eyes,_

" _You're going to go through a lot in your life, little one. There are times when I won't be able to be there with you, and times when I won't be able to help. But I'm making a promise to you now- no matter what you go through, always know I'll never stop believing in you. No matter how far away we'll be from each other, for however long, I'll never forget you. You're going to do great out there, I just know it."_

 _As much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't promise to be there with the little boy forever- the ship was parked right over there..._

* * *

Meta was pulled out of his trance when he heard the cries of the wind grow louder and more frequent. This meant a blizzard was coming- a sign that they had reached the innermost part of the winter season area of Floria. While it was going to be hard to trek through this monster of a storm, the experienced veteran knew it wasn't going to get any worse than this. He slightly regretted the fact that he didn't bring his snow boots, but shook it off, and got a glimpse of the world around him.

The world looked like a blur, as the snow falling down just as heavily as it was frequently, was to blame. The agility of the icy wind that seeped through the opening of his mask began to feel like whip lashes. It was almost blistering.

Luckily, Meta Knight was prepared for such winds: he had learned how to deal with them through his many months in the GSA, when he protected planets that were nothing more than literal blocks of ice. Keeping his grip around Kirby, he used his free hand to pull out from his dimensional cape a special mask that was made for him. Who crafted it exactly Meta Knight did not remember, but he knew he had been using it the day he received it.

It looked like his signature mask, but with slight modifications made to qualify it as proper blizzard attire. The only detail that really made it stand out was the cloth covering the opening of the mask. It didn't get rid of the visor hole, but instead covered it just enough for the knight to protect his eyes against the wind all while still being able to see. Other details that went unseen included the insulation inside the mask that felt like a giant heating pad, and the change of metal used. The original mask was made of a lightweight but sturdy metal- perfect for an agile fighter with strong defenses. To keep the heat inside the winter mask, this one was made with a thicker metal that was heavier, and even harder to crack. Its weight was a disadvantage for the knight, but as he trained with it, he began to get used to it, and his speed increased to its normal levels in no time.

It had been awhile since Meta Knight put this mask on, so he hoped he would quickly readjust to it. Once his original mask was stored in his cape, he wasted no time putting on the new mask. It felt as heavy as it used to, but nothing unfamiliar, which was always good. He trekked on for another hour or two until he felt the child in his arms stir, and begin to shiver.

* * *

Kirby felt reluctant to wake up. He was so snuggly in Meta Knight's cape, not to mention his body was begging him to get more sleep in to make up for the hours lost at night. But he forced his eyes to stay open, so he could eventually walk alongside his mentor again. As he lifted himself up from the warm fabric of the cape, he was hit in the face with a loud, icy wind. It caught him off guard, sending chills down his spine and making him shiver.

Without even thinking of it, he reacted with a soft whine, and kept his head down in attempts to stop shivering so much. He felt a hand pull his coat hood up all the way, and then felt it pat his back in comfort. The gesture was appreciated, and Kirby slowly stopped shivering after regaining homeostasis.

They walked a little more, until Kirby decided he was ready to start walking. He lifted his face, which was hit yet again with the nonstopping harsh winds, but he didn't shiver as much this time. He lifted a paw against the mask he was no longer leaning on, and blinked his eyes a few times to focus his vision.

He was not expecting to see what he saw.

In front of his face, holding him, was a man who looked like Meta Knight, but had piercing red eyes. In pure fear, Kirby screamed, and fell in the snow.

* * *

Meta Knight noticed the child began to stir in his arms for a second time. Unlike the last attempt, it looked as if he was really getting up this time. The veteran was glad to see him eager to walk alongside him again, and was ready to offer him a smile.

But he forgot that his winter mask tinted his eyes red and deepened his voice due to the sheet that draped over the visor hole.

He saw his boy's face pale, and then heard his scream that was louder than the winds around them, and they were practically screeching at this point. He felt him try to get out of his arms as quickly as he could, resulting in going face first into the heavy snow.

* * *

Panic stricken, Kirby began flailing in the snow, desperate to run away from this stranger. He had to find his mentor as quickly as he could: he was probably worried sick about his lost student! But...how was he supposed to find his mentor if he couldn't even move in the snow to begin with?

He didn't even get time to answer his own question when he felt the red-eyed stranger pull him out of the snow. Before he could get a secure grip on the child, Kirby scrambled out of his grasp, falling in the snow again, but this time on his feet. He tried his best to run away as far as possible as quickly as he could, but this was an almost impossible task, even in winter boots.

His pursuer got ahold of him, this time ready for his attempts to flee. No matter how much Kirby kicked and thrashed around, his attacks were to no avail on the stranger. He was so focused on escaping, he hardly noticed the man speak.

"Relax child, I'm not going to hurt you."

It wasn't until he said Kirby's name the boy stopped in his tracks. _Oh Nova, he knows my name, how does he know my name?!_ Kirby thought, now more terrified than ever.

The stranger seemed to notice he wasn't making the situation any better, so he said nothing more, and began to continue walking with the writhing child in his arms.

After putting up a fight for quite some time, Kirby finally stopped resisting, as he was out of breath and his muscles were exhausted. Without any more strength left, he stopped focusing on escaping, and instead began to think of how much distress his poor mentor was in right now. Or maybe he was so disappointed in his student for getting lost that he stopped looking for him, and was on his way back to the Halberd to go home. He would tell everyone that his student was a failure, and everyone would be so ashamed.

These thoughts gave him so much anxiety that he did the only thing he could do now: cry. It wasn't even a silent crying, or a soft one; no, it was the most pathetic wailing howled out by the universe's biggest failures, left never to be loved again.

He felt colder than the winds, who seemed to be crying with him. His shaking was worse than ever, and he could barely breathe outside of his choking sobs. He held his mittened paws in front of his face to try to mask his shame. He looked like a mess, but he couldn't help it.

What he didn't know was that he wasn't the only one who felt so broken inside now. Silently, the one holding him felt like his heart was being torn apart.

* * *

As the pink child continued to bawl in distress, Meta Knight wanted to say something, stroke his back, anything that could comfort him, but knew he was in a helpless position. If he tried to comfort the child, he'd only become more frightened, and cry louder. He seriously debated whether he should just remove his mask and show Kirby he wasn't a stranger, but he thought against it for his own sake. He could already feel the first stages of frostbite form around the small patches of skin where his mask didn't cover entirely, so removing the entire thing even for a minute could trap the dangerously cold wind behind it. If this happened, the frostbite was in danger to evolve into stages that could leave permanent damage. Normally, Meta Knight wouldn't care about his health in terms of the safety and protection of others, but this time was different. If he deteriorated his health, the both of them would be screwed, and Nightmare would get his way in the end.

And Meta Knight would make sure that did not happen.

Even while Kirby continued to cry, the veteran stayed strong, and kept walking in hopes to find a nearby source of shelter. He tried to tune out the wailing as much as he could, but he simply couldn't ignore it: his paternal instincts wouldn't allow it. He just wished and prayed it would cease soon, or at least subside somewhat...

It felt like hours since Kirby began crying. After what seemed like forever, he finally started to calm down, much to his mentor's relief. However, it didn't make him feel much better knowing the only reason the boy stopped was because he was completely out of energy. He carried on for so long that he was now reduced to shivering and sniffles. To Meta, Kirby looked as if he shrunk a bit. He couldn't see his big blue eyes, but he knew they were red, dry and puffy, not to mention drooping too, since crying for that long could make anyone exhausted.

Meta Knight felt Kirby's face fall hesitantly on his mask, in a mix of surrender and defeat. It was the first time he felt the child distance himself, even if they were physically close, and he hated the feeling. He noticed the child's breathing change yet again that day, and almost instinctively pulled his coat hood up once more.

With the crying no longer distracting him, he could look around his surroundings with a clear mind. He noticed the moon was up, and the area around him was lit up by nothing but the stars.

The stars, and...some sort of soft glow hidden behind a pair of nearby fir trees. Curious, Meta Knight let himself be drawn to it, to find it was lighting up the outside of a cabin somewhat similar to the one he was taken to by the Birdon couple in the past season. Unlike the previous one, whose entrance was difficult to spot due to surrounding trees and fallen branches, he could make out the sign above the door: _Rest Area_.

When he stepped in, he opened the door slowly, as he didn't want to startle anyone who was inside. But, like last time, the cabin was empty, but prepared to hold incoming guests. Meta Knight quickly shut the door, and relished the now muffled howls of the wind coming from the outside.

There were two humble armchairs made of brown leather with two thick homemade blankets in matching brown hues hung over the tops. Kirby was gently placed on the one closest to the fireplace, wrapped in both Meta's everyday cape and the homey blanket. His face was still pale, and he looked very worn out- his mentor prayed he'd get a full night's sleep tonight.

After finally getting a fire settled in the stand, Meta removed his mask. He held it and stared at it, imagining how his boy saw it. He sighed in guilt, and hid the mask away so he could fix it, and make it not seem like a monster's armor. Or maybe he'd just create a whole new mask: he had the basic blacksmith skills to do so, thanks to the GSA.

He shook his head, and pulled out his normal mask. He'd figure out the details later for that winter mask; for the moment, he just knew he wasn't going to use it for the rest of their journey. He lingered around the fireplace for another minute, to warm up any patches of skin that still felt like ice, and then climbed up on the unoccupied armchair. He leaned his mask against the edge of his chair, done with it for the night.

Using the arm as a pillow, Meta laid on his back, and stared at the wooden cabin ceiling. He seemed to be thinking of everything, and yet, nothing. With the toddler adjacent to him soundly sleeping, the elder decided there was no reason for him to stay awake, and was out like a light in no time.

Unbeknownst to the both of them, two golden Birdon were perched above the cabin, watching over as if they were guardians for the night.

* * *

The next morning, Kirby woke up still feeling groggy. He slept all through the night, which was becoming more uncommon as time went on. Still feeling upset and drained from yesterday, he slowly wiped away the crust around his eyes, and pulled himself up on whatever surface he was currently on. When he went to use his paws for support to prop himself up, he noticed something. He was wrapped in a snuggly blue fabric that seemed familiar from somewhere...and that's when the realization hit him.

 _This is Sir Meta Knight's cape...that means he found me! Oh, he's probably here too- I'm so happy!_

He brought the edge of the cape closer to his face to snuggle it, and smiled. In the midst of his joy, he let out a soft cooing noise. This alerted his mentor that he was awake, and so prompted him to put his original mask on, and check on the child. He made his way over there, and smiled at Kirby, whose eyes sparkled in excitement.

"Good morning, little one." He said gently.

"Gooh morneg Mena." The child responded brightly. He took off the cape wrapped around him, and eagerly gave it back to its owner.

As Meta was putting away his cape, Kirby twiddled his paws and asked, "So...ah we weady to go?"

The veteran nodded. "Yes. The storm should be clearing up since we're almost out of this area, so let's go reach the next season before the day ends."

With that, hands were held, and the two began to continue trekking on.

* * *

 **Woo, a new chapter is finally done! Before you leave a review, I'd advise you to stick around: I have just a few announcements and commentary.**

 **First of all, I want to clear up something. For the sake of making sense, Meta Knight has TWO capes in this story: one that he wears almost "everyday", and the thicker one he wears when it's colder. The thicker one has the dimensional powers. (If you still have questions about anything, please feel free to ask in the reviews! I would say PM's, but I'm the absolute worst at responding to them...)**

 **Next, it's about Meta's memory- the italicized part. _Will we ever hear more about this part of the story?_ Yes. This is only part of his memory- there will be a chapter in which the whole thing is unveiled, and everything makes sense. But until then, you'll get little snippets and clues leading up to it!**

 **Wonderful news- I have a few ideas for a few one-shots! I don't know when I'll get to writing them, but I'd love to break out of NMN and try something new some time in the future!**

 **Along with trying new things, I want to go back and fix old things. What am I talking about? The Babysitter! If you didn't know, I wrote another ffn, and completed it back in...June? (Somewhere around that at least...) I went back the other day to read it, and just, the CRINGE. It was so bad, I had to stop reading it! So to help that poor sucker out, I'm going to go back and revise the chapters little by little, so keep your eye out for updates! I'll try to notify you as much as I can as well.^^**

 **That's all I have to say, so have a lovely rest of your day or evening, and please feel free to leave a review! Your feedback is always appreciated, from the bottom of my heart. 3**


	9. Chapter 9

**Important Update Info at the end; please read over it because there are MAJOR CHANGES that will be happening!**

* * *

The duo was very close to reaching the border between winter and spring. Extreme cold temperatures began up to not extreme-but-still-cold temperatures. When they passed out of the worse blizzard of the area, Meta Knight decided that Kirby didn't need his heavy parka anymore. So he stopped, and motioned him to come near enough to be considered in arms' reach. Said child waddled over, and he shivered a little from his newly exposed pink skin hitting the winds that were now much weaker than before. All of his layering didn't come off however, as Meta Knight let him keep on his scarf and boots.

It was still a bit of a struggle to walk through the snow in those boots, but Kirby felt a lot more free without his big coat on. It took some time, but he relished the feeling of the freezing wind brush his little body. But just as he was getting used to the wind, it began dying down to nothing but an occasional light breeze.

They had reached spring, the last season on the planet and keeper of the first star stone. Normally when one thinks of spring, images of rejuvenated life come to mind: flowers blooming, birds singing new songs. This was the opposite of how the world around them looked.

Patches of flowers were withering, as if they didn't get enough water, and there was no songs filling the air, or birds to sing them. The forest almost looked deserted, and could've easily been mistaken for a neglected patch of land if the trees weren't lush with vibrant green leaves. It was as if the trees didn't belong in such an area, yet the fact they did added a sense of ominousness. Kirby shuddered as a chill went down his spine, and huddled closer to an on-edge Meta Knight.

The two were silent up to this point, when the older spoke up. "This is definitely where the star stone (?) is being held. Keep your eyes open for any signs of its hiding spot."

His student gave a nod of confirmation, and looked around for any hints of lights or sparkle that he thought the star had. In the midst of their searching, Meta Knight couldn't shake off a feeling of lingering dread, so his guard stayed high and kept a close eye and ear open for not only the artifact they were searching for, but for the safety of his student as well.

They walked and searched for a mile or two until Kirby began to grow bored and a bit tired. Then he noticed something something sparkling oh so slightly behind a bunch of bushes in the other direction he was walking. Without noticing himself doing so, he silently left his mentor's side to go find out what this mysterious object was.

Meta Knight never heard him leave, and was lost in his thoughts for a moment. When he broke out of his trance, he began a small lecture for his student. "Now Kirby, I believe it may be wise to give you further history and descriptions on the star stones that we're seeking for. You already know that they all give off a bright shine, but each of them are different in color. Floria's stone is yellow, like the color of Popstar. So if you see anything that either shines or gives off a yellow tone, please tell me. I believe we're close to finding the stone, what do you th-"

Only then did he realize he was talking to himself.

Normally, he'd just sigh and check the middle of Whispy Woods- a favorite hiding spot for his student and those infamous butterflies he always chased- but he was at a blank this time. This was a completely different planet, and the little boy could be anywhere. Though Meta was almost positive he was chasing butterflies as usual, it didn't help him feel any better or relaxed. He began searching for him immediately.

"Kirby! Where are you?" He cried, but only heard silence in return. Panic started settling in his stomach, and he tried not to show so much of it in his voice as he called out again.

He called out 3 more times, each time with no response, and then decided to begin running in a frantic search for his student. He began looking in every direction, until he heard it: the giggles of a small child. Relief instantly began to rush through inside him as he ran in the direction of the laughter, finally letting out a held in breath at the sight of the familiar pink ball he called his student.

Kirby's eyes were shut and brimming with tears of utter delight. The butterfly that led him all this way must've called for its friends, because all around the child were butterflies of many different sizes and colors. They were fluttering all over him, tickling him, and because of them, he couldn't breathe because he was laughing so hard. It was like they were having a tickle fight with him, and clearly, he was losing.

Meta Knight was going to give his boy a serious lecture as he had nearly given him a heart attack, but he couldn't bring himself to yell seeing him so happy like this. The laughter was almost contagious, and he couldn't help but smile at the sound of it: it had been so long since Kirby's laughs had sounded so strong and full of life. The constant nightmares normally drained his energy on a daily basis, reducing his laughs to half hearted chuckles. So hearing him now like this warmed Meta's heart.

No matter how many times Kirby tried to shoo off the butterflies, they'd boomerang back, making his weak flailing pointless. After a moment, his mentor finally stepped in to help him. His shooing was much more successful, as the butterflies did not return when he gently waved them away with his hand. As the last of them flew off, Meta Knight placed a hand on Kirby's shoulder and helped him sit up to recover. The next minute was silent between them, as the latter finished catching his breath.

Finally, Meta Knight broke the silence. "Let's get back to our mission now. We still have to track down the location of the star piece, and there is a good chance we may have to fight against some type of guardian to get ahold of it." He picked Kirby up from behind the paws and brought him to his feet, letting him gain his balance. The entire time, the mentor noticed that his student looked...distracted. He was paying attention, Meta could tell, but it seemed his mind was elsewhere as well, like he was focusing on something. "Is something on your mind, Kirby?" He asked.

The child was in a trance-like state, face turned in another direction from Meta's. He didn't answer or give any further acknowledgement that he heard his name called. His mentor tried again. "Kirby?" And again, the child gave no immediate response. Concerned, Meta picked him up so that their eyes met in attempts to gain his attention. Still without a response, Meta was going to call his name again, but then Kirby slowly turned back to him. He still seemed to be focusing but confused.

"Dad-dee..I kin feel it...the staa stone-" He paused, slightly squinting his eyes and reaching his paw outward to a specific direction. Eyes locked on the direction the paw was pointing in, he continued, "It's tis waye. Fallow me, I kin lead us." He paddled his feet a bit- an indicator to be put down- and Meta did just that right after removing his boots and scarf, seeing the snow from the winter season was gone and the temperature was warm enough to go bare. Once he was placed on the ground, he went back to the trance-like state from before, and began slowly wandering in a fashion that seemed as though he was being trudged along like a puppet. Meta Knight didn't know the exact reason why he zoned out like this, but the guess was that it helped the boy focus and keep his attention on only the stone. He asked no questions, but instead began to follow behind him to avoid him getting lost again.

As they walked, Meta Knight's eyes began to simmer a faint green, indicating he was thinking, but was still fully conscious and aware of his surroundings. A whirlwind of thoughts swirled in his mind while his eyes kept watch of the little boy in front of him. _Out of all people, why was Kirby chosen to be the Hero of the Stars? What was it about him that Nova decided that he should be the one to save all of us? He wasn't even born as this Hero, so what made Nova change him? Was it even Nova who changed him? ...No, it had to be Nova; nobody else has more power than her, at least not in this galaxy. Then...why? Did Nova have this planned from the start, to have Kirby specifically become the Hero? Was there somebody before him that was supposed to be the Hero, but plans failed, so Kirby was a second resort or a backup plan?_ There were so many questions Meta Knight had, yet he had no way of getting answers. It was...frustrating, to an extent, yet interesting, considering the mystery of Kirby's heroic origins. Maybe he'd ask Nova all of his questions once they had collected all the star stones...? It seemed like a rational idea, so he made a mental note to ask the goddess when the moment was right.

His train of thought came to a halt as Kirby suddenly stopped. He almost looked like a dog picking up a scent, but instead had his body leaned outward slightly and eyes squinted. With his paw extended out, he looked at Meta Knight and stated, "It's hewe. In bateen tose two twees." Indeed his paw was pointing to two large, normal oak trees. Once looking at the pointed direction, Meta Knight could clearly tell where the stone was being kept. A large bush behind the trees was concealing the stone's appearance, but the bush was so far back and out of place with the rest of the area, it was difficult not to notice in the veteran's eyes. Said puff looked around for any suspicious creatures lurking, because his guts told him that such a treasure wouldn't be left out in the open by itself. But no creatures were spotted, so Meta's guard went down a bit, though something told him not to lower them entirely. He looked at his student, and said, "It seems that the coast is clear, so let's retrieve that stone, and quickly, too." So the duo walked closer to the bush, now right in the middle of the oak trees, when all of a sudden, the ground rumbled.

"Get back!" Meta Knight shouted just in time. The two managed to avoid two sudden whip-like tree branches that shot out of the ground in attempts to grasp the intruders. Before either puff could question where the branches came from, the two oak trees "grew" faces similar to Whispy Woods, and both trees looked angry. "Stay behind me, Kirby." Meta commanded to his student as he unsheathed Galaxia from its scabbard, ready to fight back almost instantly. As said student peered over the edge of his teacher's cape, he whimpered, "...W-Wispy? Why so mean?" "Those two may look like Whispy, but they are very different from the one we know back on Popstar," Meta Knight explained, "They are called 'Twin Woods', and I assume they are the guardians, or bosses, of Floria's stone star. They see us as intruders, so their job is to attack us in order to keep the star safe." Kirby looked hurt, as if he took that statement to heart. "But...but we awen't bad!" "I know, but they do not know who is bad and who is not, so they attack everybody regardless." "...what do we do ten?" "We're going to have to destroy them if we want to get past them, collect the star, and go on to collect the others."

Kirby pulled away from his hiding spot behind the cape in shock. "What?! But...thewe's no otta way?" If he looked hurt before, he looked devastated now, for the trees' sakes. Meta Knight gave his heartbroken student a quick pat on the head. "There is no way around this, little one. If Twin Woods isn't defeated by us now, we will never be able to get past them, and we do want to stop these nightmares, yes?" The pink puff fidgeted with his paws, understanding the situation, even if he wasn't exactly a huge fan of it. "Yes..." He mumbled, eyes tearing up just a bit. Seeing him this upset made the knight feel a twinge of guilt, so he reassured the boy, "There is no reason to get too upset, now. They will not be killed, only defeated. To defeat someone, specifically a boss or enemy, means that you prove yourself to the person so that you are able to earn your reward with no threats. You do not intend to kill the person, but cause enough damage that the point goes across that they should admit their surrender." This made Kirby feel better, enough to give a slight nod.

After the boy was reassured, Meta happened to notice out of the corner of his eye that the Twin Woods were puffing up their cheeks, an indicator that they were preparing their first attack towards the two. In a calm but quick manner, Meta began giving Kirby instructions. "Okay, listen to me now: Twin Woods is preparing their first attack as we speak. It will look as if they're just blowing harmless gusts of wind at you, but do not let its appearance fool you. The wind is made of entirely carbon dioxide, so while your life won't be in any danger if you accidentally inhale one of the gusts, it would be wise to avoid inhaling them at all. As for fighting back, I want you to stay away from this one this time. Your opposition and defense skills are not skilled enough for you to fight just yet, not to mention there are still a few tactics and skills I have yet to teach you." Kirby gave him another nod, and a look of determination in his eyes for the latter puff. With one more pat on the head given to the young one, Meta Knight ran closer to Twin Woods, Galaxia held firmly in his hand, and eyes and reflexes keen for imposing attacks.

Kirby knew he had to take Meta's advice on staying away from the battle, but he still wanted to get a decent view of the entire thing: maybe he could take notes on different strategies he used, and give them a shot later on in practice! So he hurried over to a spot that wasn't too close to the battle, but close enough that he could see what was going on with enough ease. From the start, he noticed Meta Knight's straight and firm posture, and his alertness on the enemy only, not paying the slightest attention to any outside noises, such as the sound of the leaves from the trees falling. He looked ready to dodge quickly, which was appropriate enough, since the right tree of the Twin Woods puffed out its first set of wind gusts. He easily moved from side to side to avoid being hit by the attacks, almost seeming as if he's fought this enemy before, or at least an enemy similar enough. The left began to unleash its attacks alongside the right, and though the pace increased of the attack frequency, Meta Knight was unfazed. His reflexes were still sharp, and his pace increased to keep up with the trees. Once the right tree stopped attacking to reload, Meta Knight took the opportunity to begin attacks of his own. He advanced closer, and began to slice and stab through the bark of the tree.

In the case of a normal tree, one slash from Galaxia would've been enough to go straight through the core of the bark, splitting it into two even halves, but Kirby soon realized Twin Woods was different. The bark was coming off as if Meta Knight was scraping it bit by bit, and beneath the superficial layer was a layer that seemed just as durable as before. _Twin Woods must have layered levels of bark so that it's_ meant _to endure multiple hits,_ Kirby thought as his eyes never left the fight, _This means Twin Woods isn't in much danger of dying, so that's good! It just seems like this battle's going to take pretty long, even with Meta Knight giving his all..._

Meta Knight must've been thinking the same thing, as his attacks slowed down and eventually halted altogether as he backed away to dodge the now loaded right Twin. He didn't have to dodge for long, however, as the left soon stopped to reload now. He didn't advance closer this time, but Kirby noticed he began...glowing? No, after a double take, he realized it wasn't Meta who was glowing, but _Galaxia_ , his legendary sword. The glow was soft at first, but grew with every passing second, until it was ablaze so bright, Kirby had to squint his eyes. After one last gust was avoided by the knight, he leapt in the air, raised Galaxia high, and sent down a powerful Sword Beam. The impact sent a layer of dust from the ground scattering through the field, fogging up both puffs' vision. The Twin Woods were unfazed, as their eyes were all but hollow holes through their barks, able to see through some sort of unexplained magic. The right tree was forced again to reload, but the left was ready, and noticed a little boy on the field's sidelines. What caught its attention was the fact that this boy was unarmed, and had his guard down completely from the dust in the air: an easy target.

When the dust spread across the field, Kirby became distracted from the fight as he attempted to swat it away. Unfortunately, all this did was send particles flying in his direction, causing him to cough while his vision blurred through teary eyes. He failed to notice one of the Twin Woods looking in his direction. Aiming for him.

He didn't even see the puffs of air speeding his way, so when he was struck by them, he was sent toppling to the ground. He didn't know what happened, but it felt like he was hit by a sudden dizzy spell powerful enough to sweep him off his feet. Confused but not teetered, he sat up as quickly as he could to find out what caused this spell, only to be hit yet again with another triple set of gusts that pinned him down. Each gust felt like it had stolen more of his breath, until he felt himself struggling to breathe. It was like all the oxygen from the atmosphere had suddenly vanished, and his consciousness was trying to chase after it. The lull of sleep began to call his name, but he refused to give into its temptation: he knew he shouldn't pass out in the middle of a fight, regardless if he was partaking in it or not. Despite his best efforts, he wasn't strong enough to resist the calls, causing his consciousness to leave him and admit his silent surrender.

Knowing dust would spread and cloud his vision temporarily after the sword beam hit, Meta Knight landed upon the field with his guards raised high. He knew the Twin Woods' attacks fired in triplets, so he kept a close listen; it wouldn't be a problem if he was hit once, and one hit would give him enough alarm to dodge the other two. His thoughts were cut short as he heard the sound of another oncoming attack. His body tensed up in anticipation for the attack; however, the tension only lingered as the attack never hit him. Odd, he thought, I guess that was just the wind, or I'm only imagining things... Though he reassured himself, there was a feeling in the back of his head that told him otherwise, and he was unable to shake it off. He began to become a bit frustrated with the feeling, but before it teetered his focus, he heard it again:

[Insert a noise I never specified, so let's make it "oof"]

Again, he was prepared, but still felt nothing, just like the first time. Now he knew something was wrong: surely he wouldn't imagine a sound so clear and evident twice? The dust was beginning to fade away with the wind current, so he took the oppertunity to face his opponent, find out where the attacks were being directed, and why they were being direction in that direction. The first glance revealed that both Twin Woods were aiming at the same target, but the second didn't reveal who the target was. Meta's insides twisted ever so slightly- No, it can't be... he thought, or at least desperately hoped. Everything inside him began to scream in terror, and he, in response, followed the enemies' attack direction in a sprint. The sight he was led to was the one he knew he'd stumble upon, as if he was already expecting it. And yet, he still wanted to deny the sight, despite reality proving him otherwise.

In front of him lay Kirby, eyes closed, face paled, expression pained, and back against the ground. He looked so helpless.

It didn't take long for his mind to register the reasons behind the scene: I told him to stay far from the battle, but he didn't back away enough. You should've made sure he heeded your directions. This is your fault.

Nothing, not even the strongest feelings of guilt and worry racing through his mind, could deter the knight as he sprung into action. Immediately, he blocked the next set of gusts speeding their way; the gusts might have been powerful, but they were still just puffs of air, thus evaporating into the atmosphere once made contact with the back of his cape. Ironically, he didn't feel them this time, as his mind was swirling with a thousand thoughts at once and his attention was undivided for Kirby.

* * *

 **Okay okay, first of all, I'm so sorry I died for about...2 years now? _Omg has it really been that long...aaaaa_**

 **Chances are that you noticed the "MAJOR CHANCES" bit of the announcement, so it's time to spill the beans. I kinda fell out of the Kirby fandom about a few months ago officially; but I did say I would try and finish all my fics, so I still think I want to give this story another go. The only problem is that I'm going to make a lot of changes to the plot. The changes are so major that I have no choice but to rewrite the entire story.**

 **I know it's common to replace older chapters with newer editions, but I think I just want to start over entirely. I will keep this story in my library if you do ever want to read it again, but I posted the last scraps of this chapter and decided to archive this once and for all.**

 **I can't promise any dates in which I post, or if I post at all honestly, but I can say that I will try my best to do something with this story.**

 **Thank you sO MUCH for all of your feedback and support through this story's journey! I can't thank you enough for the reviews; and I can't tell you how many times they all made my day knowing that people still came across this old story and liked it even when my grammar skills were atrocious haha. So seriously, thank you all, I love y'all so much 3**

 **Hopefully we see each other again soon! Happy summer, stay safe, and have a nice life! :D**


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